Not sure if anyone here posts on other forums, but being as narcissistic as I am, I wanted a broader audience (altough I of course like this place a lot). I joined a forum called poetry free for all or something like that. Posted a poem: First it got moved to another section (higher critique or something like that) by a mod, got one descent review, then this:


If you can't figure out the basics of the language, you really should put in a bit more study before embarassing yourself again.

Overall, this is such mawkish melodrama that it almost triggers the gag reflex.

Later posting the same "zombie"-poem I just reposted here, I got this answer from another mod:

Learn how to punctuate.

Learn the difference between a diary entry and a poem.

Discover what imagery is.

Don't write about writing until you learn how to write.

Am I that bad? :)

Seriously though, I don't mind honest but brutal comments, but I feel there's a difference between honesty (which is very important) and being cruel; I should know because these are things I might have said when I was 14, albeit not about poetry but about music.

What do you think entails good criticism and commentary?

Michael,

I think you have some very good examples
here on the proper way to review a poem. 
If something is God awful terrible, I probably
won't review it.  I think suggestions should be
made where you feel a poem could be improved;
depends on the reviewer's own experience and
expertise.  You should say what you like about
a poem; if there is nothing you like, than as I said,
you probably should not review it.

I've gone too far sometimes, but it's never
been my intent to be cruel, and I shall be
more positive in the future.

Thanks for posting this. It's important to get
perspective on this topic of reviews.
Marion

Marion I have never ever seen you gone too far while I've been here; I also think that there's no need to review a poem I don't find anything worth working on in. If it's really really bad, I might say something like:

"I'm sorry, but to me this feels too bad [insert reasons why] in the shape it is now to be worth editing. This are just my suggestions, but if I were you I would consider what I wanted to do with the poem and go about it from another angle. I'm not saying this to be mean or anything, so I hope you don't feel bad".

Something like that. I don't think one always have to begin with saying "I like it a lot, but..."; if there are problems those should be adressed.

In philosophy there's a field called value-theory. One part of that is the discussion whether our value-statements (moral, aesthetic etc.) are to be interpreted as if we mean there are objective values, or if they instead are to be interpreted as some kind of emotional outlet. There are versions of the latter (called emotivism), one being that saying "killing is bad" MEANS "I don't like killing", but there's another saying that "killing is bad" means "I decide that killing is bad, and you follow what I say if you know what's best for you". I've seen examples of all of these in poetry, and I feel lucky enough that the last one rarely is seen around here (if ever).

We editors do sometimes reject poems. Most of the time we won't comment on the rejection. (It usually gets us into a mess!)

That said - This is a workshop - we understand that members expect critique and suggestions and that poems are often not in finished form when presented.

We enjoy poetry here!

i found that site and your poem.  those cats just seem like assholes to me, especially the second one.  i've not ventured out to other forums.  i've seen lots of negative feedback about the mean and negative things said on other sites.

the guys who wrote responses to your work probably believe they take poetry seriously.  it's my belief they, likely, take themselves too seriously.  there's no reason to be abusive. 

PC is very helpful and supportive.  sometimes the advice given cuts....deep.  but, it's never malicious.  and while other viewpoints about your writing is helpful, dealing with a "lot" of assholes hardly seems worth it.

tiko

Editors here also sometimes remove negative personal comments or mean-spirited remarks. On rare occasions a member who cannot stay civil is banned from the site.

Tiko, these people definately take themselves too seriously. The funny thing is, a comment such as "this was good I enjoyed it" is not by any circumstance allowed on that page ("this is not proper criticism"), but a comment such as "this sucks donkeyballs go back to school you inbred hillbilly" is perfectly acceptable.

Tom and other editors; keep up the good work. No other forum I've visited has even been remotely close at combining a welcoming atmosphere with great incentive and suggetions on how to excell (in lack of better words) as this one has.

Couldn't we at least get an emoticon for "this sucks donkeyballs go back to school you inbred hillbilly"?
Hilarious, Mikael.
Thanks.
Tom

TSDGBSUIH ;D

Done! It'll be our secret!

lolz