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ps21215
Joined: 05 Nov 2008
Posts: 5
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 Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:31 am Post subject: A sharp decline in postings |
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| Over the past year I have noticed a sharp decline in postings by more accomplished poets. While one has to agree that the reason for the forums is, and must remain, an open discussion area for developing poets, one must question where have the ‘readable’ poems gone? By readability I will quote one former poster commenting on why he/she no longer posts: “How do you find enough readable pieces to critique when the posted poetry is not just blatantly depressing, borderline suicidal, or incomprehensible to anyone who does not understand the relationship of irrational ideas – such as comparing the dried out skin of a dead snake to the 1965 car once owned by a disillusioned owner of pet dog playing foster mom to a couple of abandoned skunk pups.” Wait, that was sarcastic, and this is a serious forum. There is a marked difference between poor poetry written by someone trying to improve, and bad poetry, written as an outlet to express pent-up dysfunctional ideas. Back to my opening remark: Over the past year I have noticed a sharp decline in postings by more accomplished poets. (Moderators, Please do not quote numbers of postings, look at who is posting and the type of material they offer up.) |
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fredericks
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Joined: 25 Apr 2007
Posts: 2714
Location: Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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| ps21215 wrote: | | Over the past year I have noticed a sharp decline in postings by more accomplished poets. While one has to agree that the reason for the forums is, and must remain, an open discussion area for developing poets, one must question where have the ‘readable’ poems gone? By readability I will quote one former poster commenting on why he/she no longer posts: “How do you find enough readable pieces to critique when the posted poetry is not just blatantly depressing, borderline suicidal, or incomprehensible to anyone who does not understand the relationship of irrational ideas – such as comparing the dried out skin of a dead snake to the 1965 car once owned by a disillusioned owner of pet dog playing foster mom to a couple of abandoned skunk pups.” Wait, that was sarcastic, and this is a serious forum. There is a marked difference between poor poetry written by someone trying to improve, and bad poetry, written as an outlet to express pent-up dysfunctional ideas. Back to my opening remark: Over the past year I have noticed a sharp decline in postings by more accomplished poets. (Moderators, Please do not quote numbers of postings, look at who is posting and the type of material they offer up.) |
Hello ps21215,
The first thing I noticed when I entered this thread is that you have been a member here for a year, just shy of a week. The next thing I noticed, sorry, in view of your request to not "quote numbers," but, I couldn't help but notice that in a time span that is just one week shy of a year, you have posted here 5 times. Do you write poetry? Have you posted any poems for critique on an internet poetry forum, here or elsewhere? Have you offered critiques of poetry to other poets on an internet poetry forum, here or elsewhere?
| ps21215 wrote: | | Over the past year I have noticed a sharp decline in postings by more accomplished poets. |
I'd be interested to learn your definition of "accomplished poets." We're always open to suggestions, and we've implemented many of the suggestions we've receive from members. I'd like to read your suggestions. What are your suggestions?
| ps21215 wrote: | | While one has to agree that the reason for the forums is, and must remain, an open discussion area for developing poets, one must question where have the ‘readable’ poems gone? |
Folks move on, and folks move around the different forums on the world wide web. Where do you believe they've gone?
| ps21215 wrote: | | By readability I will quote one former poster commenting on why he/she no longer posts: “How do you find enough readable pieces to critique when the posted poetry is not just blatantly depressing, borderline suicidal, or incomprehensible to anyone who does not understand the relationship of irrational ideas – such as comparing the dried out skin of a dead snake to the 1965 car once owned by a disillusioned owner of pet dog playing foster mom to a couple of abandoned skunk pups.” |
Did this "former poster" fall into your definition of "accomplished poets?" Do you have an idea of how long this "former poster" was a member here? Any idea of how active this "former poster" was on this forum? Any idea where this "former poster" is now? Do you know for a fact that this "former poster" actually stopped posting or actually stopped posting for the reason you quote?
I don't recall having ever read this quote or a comparison to poetry that was remotely similar. I'm sure I would have remembered a sentence that was so devoid of punctuation it could be interpreted dozens of ways, especially one as long as this one. Although, I must admit, I have not read every post in every thread on every board across this workshop forum. I have searched the entire site database for the three words "abandoned skunk pups" used together in a post, and I am unable to find them anywhere except for your post. It is always possible that the original post you quote was deleted in a monthly pruning of the workshop forums on the site, or if it was posted in one of the non-critical workshop forums in a thread that had laid fallow for years. The quote itself could be construed as a perfect example of "incomprehensible" that the original author referred to, particularly the comparison that was made.
I can't help but wonder what the comparison was and how many comparisons were being made. What was the dried out skin of a dead snake being compared to?
Was the snake skin being compared to a 1965 car as well as to abandoned skunk pups?
"comparing the dried out skin of a dead snake to the 1965 car once owned by a disillusioned owner of pet dog playing foster mom to a couple of abandoned skunk pups."
Here we have multiple possibilities, and I'm going to have a little fun here. We have:
a 1965 car
the owner of a 1965 car
the disillusioned owner of 1965 car
a disillusioned dog owner
the disillusioned owner of a 1965 car who also owned a dog
a disillusioned owner of a dog that fostered baby skunks
a disillusioned 1965 car owner who fostered baby skunks and also owned a dog
a disillusioned 1965 car owner who owned a disillusioned foster mom who thought she was a pet dog, and the car owner also owned baby skunks, or did the disillusioned foster mom also foster the skunks?
I also like the idea of substituting the word delusional for disillusioned.
There are many, many more combinations that could be made. The one I'm most fond of is a kind hearted dog owner whose dog was also kindhearted, so kindhearted in fact that she, together with her owner, adopted several abandoned baby skunks and nurtured them to adulthood. The dog owner also happened to own a 1965 car that he or she was delusional about. Do you by chance remember the television program, "My Mother the Car?" Where the dried out skin of a dead snake comes in, I have no idea.
| ps21215 wrote: | | Wait, that was sarcastic, and this is a serious forum. |
Sarcasm may have been your intention, but I try, try mind you, to find the humor in things. Thank you for making my day.
| ps21215 wrote: | | There is a marked difference between poor poetry written by someone trying to improve, and bad poetry, written as an outlet to express pent-up dysfunctional ideas. |
This is true, and you will find as many definitions of "poor" and "bad" among the members here. I am reminded that we are a public, open forum, and we offer five different levels of workshop forums to the folks who have joined in an attempt to meet the needs of all who choose to workshop there poetry here.
| ps21215 wrote: | | Back to my opening remark: Over the past year I have noticed a sharp decline in postings by more accomplished poets. (Moderators, Please do not quote numbers of postings, look at who is posting and the type of material they offer up.) |
And I will reiterate my earlier comments:
"The first thing I noticed when I entered this thread is that you have been a member here for a year, just shy of a week. The next thing I noticed, sorry, in view of your request to not "quote numbers," but, I couldn't help but notice that in a time span that is just one week shy of a year, you have posted here 5 times. Do you write poetry? Have you posted any poems for critique on an internet poetry forum, here or elsewhere? Have you offered critiques of poetry to other poets on an internet poetry forum, here or elsewhere?"
"I'd be interested to learn your definition of "accomplished poets." We're always open to suggestions, and we've implemented many of the suggestions we've receive from members. I'd like to read your suggestions. What are your suggestions?"
"Folks move on, and folks move around the different forums on the world wide web. Where do you believe they've gone?"
One final thing to consider also is that nowhere in your post can I interpret anything positive you have offered, to or about poetry in general, or this workshop forum. This is something I'll continue to think about.
O.P.W.
_________________
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
"No one has ever become poor by giving." - Anne Frank" |
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Kaltica
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Joined: 21 Aug 2005
Posts: 1874
Location: Manitoba
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| Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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Ps21215:
| PS21215 wrote: | | Over the past year I have noticed a sharp decline in postings by more accomplished poets. |
This seems to be the trend across the boards but is particularly evident on this one.
| PS21215 wrote: | | While one has to agree that the reason for the forums is, and must remain, an open discussion area for developing poets, one must question where have the ‘readable’ poems gone? By readability I will quote one former poster commenting on why he/she no longer posts: “How do you find enough readable pieces to critique when the posted poetry is not just blatantly depressing, borderline suicidal, or incomprehensible to anyone who does not understand the relationship of irrational ideas – such as comparing the dried out skin of a dead snake to the 1965 car once owned by a disillusioned owner of pet dog playing foster mom to a couple of abandoned skunk pups.” Wait, that was sarcastic, and this is a serious forum. There is a marked difference between poor poetry written by someone trying to improve, and bad poetry, written as an outlet to express pent-up dysfunctional ideas. |
Understood. The basic problem may be a cause-and-effect loop: the better poets attract the better critics who, in turn, attract the better critics. This dilemma is exacerbated by our unique setup: we are just about the only board that endeavours to mix the rank novice with the seasoned expert. On the one hand, this is good for the neophytes because it is their best chance to receive helpful critique from someone who knows that Millay's "Moriturus" isn't iambic. On the other hand, the critiques and poems found in the lower fora may scare off the more experienced.
Hidden as we are under the "Poets & Poetry => Discussion Forums" option of the main Poets.org page, coupled with our non-participation in cross-board co-operative ventures, we have a visibility problem.
The staff is working on both of these challenges and welcomes any pertinent input.
| PS21215 wrote: | | Back to my opening remark: Over the past year I have noticed a sharp decline in postings by more accomplished poets. (Moderators, Please do not quote numbers of postings, look at who is posting and the type of material they offer up.) |
I share your concern and hope the more accomplished poets will find time in their busy schedules to heed it. We rely on their generosity.
Thanks for bringing this subject up.
Best regards,
Kaltica |
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