Poetry reviews

[annaswirls]

Actually my friend I have been resigned from the mod position for a while now. I didn't announce it because I didn't want to make a fuss. I figured it would come out sooner or later, and so it did. And I remember that convo we had last year. I agreed with you then. But yes I think some changes will do this place some good.

Laurel will appoint someone to replace me if she wants to do that. And if anyone wants to nominate themself, they should let Eve, Lauren or Laurel know.

Surprise.

Girl!!!! Congratulations! Were you afraid we would throw you a retirement party and have naked men jumping from cakes?


I don't know how you have stayed on so long, it is not a job I envy, and don't think anyone should have to maintain for more than a year or two. Tour of duty so to speak.




oh come on, can't we make a LITTLE bit of a fuss???

Here, I got the entertainment lined up:

 

[hmmnmm]

In a somewhat romantic, cozy way, I kinda like the tucked away feel of poetry on a porn story site. Or even maybe having fictions that don't get much attention. Like having a little gallery out in the middle of nowhere; maybe have lots of stuff on the walls and on the tables and shelves, or sometimes clear everything out and start over; just kinda sit on the porch and sip soda pops and whittle and scribble and scratch, catch a sunrise or sunset, watch a few cars and trucks roll by, and maybe once in a while one of them stops, moseys inside; tell them to make themselves at home if they want, and maybe what they browse won't do much for them or maybe something they see does a lot for them, they can take it, or take a copy, or maybe they'll mark it as little place in the middle of nowhere they can stop in next time they happen to pass by.

 

[Epmd607]

I actually suggested putting the New Poems Page below the New Stories Page. But it's not that way, I don't think it used to be that way. If someone PMed Laural and asked why she'd probably have a reason, business or aesthetic. From 2001-2005 I don't remember the existence of poems on this site. 2006 I think I first noticed that there were poems. I don't think I was less interested in poetry before 2006. I do want to stay hidden, like Hmmnmm, I value the idiosyncratic nature of posting my serious poems on a porn site. Many authors who've been here a while do post a few poems too. I am 90 years old at heart. I don't visit the New Poems or New Stories page often. I have my favorites and if they don't submit I don't read anything new. Doggone kids these days want me to jump through hoops...

We can't really know if more or less people are reading the New Poems page, we don't have access to that sort of information. I don't presume that just because I used to talk about poems on the Poetry Review thread more people were reading poems on the New Poetry page. It seems like we've reached the critical mass for posters on the poetry board in the last month. It's like a dozen -- once a dozen people start posting once a day people start disappearing back into the aether. Then there's a dead time and then the zombies rise once again.

 

[butters]

maybe Laurel would consider giving New Poems more prominence if the quality of poems there improved exponentially. decent poems DO appear, and sometimes exceptional poems, but they are like gems in a cesspit for the most part, let's be honest.

and that's where the issue lies that i brought up before: there are some really good poets out there who'd not want to see their work published at a place like Lit. better poems getting published would bring in better poets. there's no reason not to try and buck the current trend, but i think it's fair to say the better poets mostly tend to find the forum here or stay away altogether.

Poets i've worked with before, who are actively submitting their writing to other publications, seriously consider just where they think their work will get best 'value for money' as it were, even if no money's involved. and since so many editors won't look at something that's deemed already published, they are far less likely to sub it here than to a more mainstream poetry-orientated venue.


personally, i like anna's suggestion of having the New Poetry listed directly beneath the New Stories. i also think having the poems mixed in with the stories will make for them growing even more invisible, to be honest.

 

[Epmd607]

...

personally, i like anna's suggestion of having the New Poetry listed directly beneath the New Stories. i also think having the poems mixed in with the stories will make for them growing even more invisible, to be honest.

I think I said it first, the New Poetry link should be below the New Stories. If the poems were mixed with the stories those terrorists would ruin poetry at literotica. All they'd do is complain and come in here and tell us our poems shouldn't be on the site.

I did! Post 39. I get the nontransferable credits.

 

[butters]

I think I said it first, the New Poetry link should be below the New Stories. If the poems were mixed with the stories those terrorists would ruin poetry at literotica. All they'd do is complain and come in here and tell us our poems shouldn't be on the site.

I did! Post 39. I get the nontransferable credits.

in that case i happily credit you for the suggestion. have you passed it on to Laurel yet, or does the forum mod need to?

 

[Epmd607]

in that case i happily credit you for the suggestion. have you passed it on to Laurel yet, or does the forum mod need to?

I've suggested it in that little suggestion tab that appears once in a while on the side of the screen on the index page. Other than that, I figure there's a reason it's at the bottom of the index.

 

[Angeline]

Girl!!!! Congratulations! Were you afraid we would throw you a retirement party and have naked men jumping from cakes?


I don't know how you have stayed on so long, it is not a job I envy, and don't think anyone should have to maintain for more than a year or two. Tour of duty so to speak.




oh come on, can't we make a LITTLE bit of a fuss???

Here, I got the entertainment lined up:

Lol! Thank you Anna--a naked man on a unicycle! And he looks like he's moving, too. He'd be hotter if he had a U-Haul, but that's what is turning me on these days: men with big masculine U-Hauls. Mmm.

In a somewhat romantic, cozy way, I kinda like the tucked away feel of poetry on a porn story site. Or even maybe having fictions that don't get much attention. Like having a little gallery out in the middle of nowhere; maybe have lots of stuff on the walls and on the tables and shelves, or sometimes clear everything out and start over; just kinda sit on the porch and sip soda pops and whittle and scribble and scratch, catch a sunrise or sunset, watch a few cars and trucks roll by, and maybe once in a while one of them stops, moseys inside; tell them to make themselves at home if they want, and maybe what they browse won't do much for them or maybe something they see does a lot for them, they can take it, or take a copy, or maybe they'll mark it as little place in the middle of nowhere they can stop in next time they happen to pass by.

The porn factor is great for us because we can write anything here, and it won't be the most shocking or graphic thing we've read. We see graphic, detailed erotica here in poems and stories, with or without illustration, on a daily basis (and some of us have been here forever). At first people come to Lit for the stories or to flirt or they don't know what to expect, but they DON'T expect a serious and active little poetry community. And yet here we are, tucked away as you said. You have to be a real explorer to find your way into this little corner of cyberspace. And that may explain why there are so many interesting people here. But the porn allows for an openness overall that I think helps us as writers.

At least that is my theory. There are others who have been active in other poetry communities who can likely speak to this. Are you as open as a writer in other online communities you inhabit as you are here at Lit?

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Actually my friend I have been resigned from the mod position for a while now. I didn't announce it because I didn't want to make a fuss. I figured it would come out sooner or later, and so it did. And I remember that convo we had last year. I agreed with you then. But yes I think some changes will do this place some good.

Laurel will appoint someone to replace me if she wants to do that. And if anyone wants to nominate themself, they should let Eve, Lauren or Laurel know.

Surprise.

O - M - G.....not to cast aspersions on Lauren or Eve, but you were the patient voice of reason in all those times of hostility and paranoia. If you must go then thank you for years of devotion and level headedness.

 

[butters]

Angeline - raising a glass to services rendered

yeah, well it's not me, i had to get a pic

 

[butters]

Lol! Thank you Anna--a naked man on a unicycle! And he looks like he's moving, too. He'd be hotter if he had a U-Haul, but that's what is turning me on these days: men with big masculine U-Hauls. Mmm.



The porn factor is great for us because we can write anything here, and it won't be the most shocking or graphic thing we've read. We see graphic, detailed erotica here in poems and stories, with or without illustration, on a daily basis (and some of us have been here forever). At first people come to Lit for the stories or to flirt or they don't know what to expect, but they DON'T expect a serious and active little poetry community. And yet here we are, tucked away as you said. You have to be a real explorer to find your way into this little corner of cyberspace. And that may explain why there are so many interesting people here. But the porn allows for an openness overall that I think helps us as writers.

At least that is my theory. There are others who have been active in other poetry communities who can likely speak to this. Are you as open as a writer in other online communities you inhabit as you are here at Lit?

personally, yes, but then i've never been great with the erotic, let alone written any porn poetry before here. not sure anything i've ever written counts as porn, tbh

if i were to visit other sites again, then i'd probably have to think a little before replying - at least till i got a feel for the individuals - and would most likely not consider being quite so free with language in my poetry, "Mary, Mary, cunt contrary" being right off the agenda no doubt.

 

[Angeline]

O - M - G.....not to cast aspersions on Lauren or Eve, but you were the patient voice of reason in all those times of hostility and paranoia. If you must go then thank you for years of devotion and level headedness.

I love you, too, as you well know by now, but I'll still be the voice of reason. I just won't have any authority. And the thing is that I didn't really have any authority to begin with lol. But I will try to continue to be reasonable.



(I do feel like I just put down a big rock I was carrying.)

Angeline - raising a glass to services rendered

yeah, well it's not me, i had to get a pic

Thank you. It included the disco zombie poem so it wasn't a total loss. Ahem.

personally, yes, but then i've never been great with the erotic, let alone written any porn poetry before here. not sure anything i've ever written counts as porn, tbh

if i were to visit other sites again, then i'd probably have to think a little before replying - at least till i got a feel for the individuals - and would most likely not consider being quite so free with language in my poetry, "Mary, Mary, cunt contrary" being right off the agenda no doubt.

And here you can write a smutty poem and everyone will gleefully join in.

 

[butters]

I love you, too, as you well know by now, but I'll still be the voice of reason. I just won't have any authority. And the thing is that I didn't really have any authority to begin with lol. But I will try to continue to be reasonable.



(I do feel like I just put down a big rock I was carrying.)



Thank you. It included the disco zombie poem so it wasn't a total loss. Ahem.



And here you can write a smutty poem and everyone will gleefully join in.

indeedy AND with great results!

 

[hmmnmm]

The porn factor is great for us because we can write anything here, and it won't be the most shocking or graphic thing we've read. We see graphic, detailed erotica here in poems and stories, with or without illustration, on a daily basis (and some of us have been here forever). At first people come to Lit for the stories or to flirt or they don't know what to expect, but they DON'T expect a serious and active little poetry community. And yet here we are, tucked away as you said. You have to be a real explorer to find your way into this little corner of cyberspace. And that may explain why there are so many interesting people here. But the porn allows for an openness overall that I think helps us as writers.

At least that is my theory. There are others who have been active in other poetry communities who can likely speak to this. Are you as open as a writer in other online communities you inhabit as you are here at Lit?

You've brought up this point before and it's really a good one to be reminded of. About three or four times a year I get itchy feet or take Lit for granted, or just out of curiosity check out other possible venues. Many of them appear inviting at first. Get excited about new possibilities. But then they have a policy about adult content. Or find a little legalese in their Terms that indicate you may or may not be the owner of the content you present. Or there's a little Report button, like to tattle if mature content is discovered. So the fact that Lit is a porn site immediately removes the ceilings so to speak. And based on what I've explored, Lit seems to be one of the more adamant protectors of the artist's ownership of his or her content. So there's a lot of relaxation factor right away. You can aspire to rambler heights or slosh and splash in gutters, or take the stairs and go on down into festivals of luscious depravity, and just about any point in between. And even the fact that bad poems are published is a plus, because it seems to create a sense of freedom to try whatever comes to mind, and if later it is really that embarrassing, why you can just send in a deletion request. Clear the walls and tables, start all over.

So yes oh yes: Long Live Porn!

 

[PandoraGlitters]

RE: the Lit Poetry Forum--the poetry and discussions here have invigorated my interest in reading and writing poetry. And there is also some good poetry posted in submissions, though less so now than when Poetry Survivor was going, maybe. That was a great idea and I hope it happens again.

RE: Ange's retirement as mod--I can't imagine anyone doing a better job. You'll be missed as mod, Angeline. I hope you'll then be freed up to write more poems!

 

[fridayam]

As ignorant as I am, I wasn't aware when I addressed Angeline that she was a Mod--but she knows I respect her and her opinions and I share the salutations and thanks being showered on her for her service here. Anyone who tries to Mod a group of us is a saint--anyone tried to herd cats lately?

I hear also a lot of what you, as poets, are saying: some of it distresses me--if poetry is like running a little-visited antiques store, shoot me know!

I don't find the existence of a poetry section of a porn site such a bizarre phenomenon, because Laurel and Manu have always looked for quality amongst the dross. They have attempted to filter in various ways, which sadly wankers amongst us subvert (see the ongoing farce of the awards section). But nevertheless they have tried, and I have to hand it to them for their persistence and forebearance.

They wanted poetry on this site, otherwise it would not be here. They even have a toplist for it (though only for erotic poetry, sadly).

So, given that poetry is evidently a real presence here on the site (desired and nurtured)why are we so unwilling to promote it?

The issue of publication elsewhere is I think a false one, as Laurel and Manu have made it clear that we still have ownership of our material. Also, to refute something my dearly respected friend Chipbutty said, if good poems are rare, try finding a good story!

I send you all my respects, but don't you all think we should open our horizons a little and stop being so introverted?

 

[Palba_Noruda]

If we want "new blood" and new ideas, then we really should reconsider the reviewing task.

It is time consuming, yes, but I see the amount of time many of us put into the forum, and if 5% of that time were spent in New Poem reviews, we could definitely bring more interest to this place, and certainly meet interesting people.

I think it is a really great idea to bring in new people. I wonder if the powers that be could place a link in the submission area, so that all the authors who post poems could at least know that the forum exists?

In a somewhat romantic, cozy way, I kinda like the tucked away feel of poetry on a porn story site. Or even maybe having fictions that don't get much attention. Like having a little gallery out in the middle of nowhere; maybe have lots of stuff on the walls and on the tables and shelves, or sometimes clear everything out and start over; just kinda sit on the porch and sip soda pops and whittle and scribble and scratch, catch a sunrise or sunset, watch a few cars and trucks roll by, and maybe once in a while one of them stops, moseys inside; tell them to make themselves at home if they want, and maybe what they browse won't do much for them or maybe something they see does a lot for them, they can take it, or take a copy, or maybe they'll mark it as little place in the middle of nowhere they can stop in next time they happen to pass by.

Aw. This is really beautiful. I'm with you hmmnmm. I'm a romantic, too, at heart

*****

On the topic of why more people post here than in lit proper. A big reason I don't post at lit is that I find it extremely difficult. I used to post things there but I would forget what to do every time. It's actually quite confusing if you don't already know what you're doing.

There are bazillions of posts a day, so I don't think it's the world's biggest problem for most people smart enough to set a bookmark on their computer, but I found it much easier to just come to the forum and post.

For example, go to lit. Click "submissions", go to "how to submit," find out that you are supposed to sign in. Where the hell do you sign in? First you have to go to stories/pics, which isn't really stated anywhere. That was always a very frustrating, confusing process for me. Laugh away, but I'm sure I'm not the only flakey poet out there.


*****

Wow, Palba, just surprized at the feedback you got when you submitted a poem. I've never heard of anyone even getting a reason for their poem being rejected from submission, let alone the one you got. I think that is very rare. Usually someone's poem would be rejected either because the content broke Lit rules or because the poem was too long (too many words) to fit Lit's criteria for poetry. Well, maybe you mean you got that feedback here on the forum? Either way I'm glad it helped you and glad you are here because I enjoy reading your posts.

Here is the Reason for rejection that appeared in my literotica account (the bullet point I think is the unique part to my poem, and the mention of figurative language was the comment that was very helpful for me, I really wasn't using very much figurative language at the time and this sorta reminded me/gave me permission to do so):

Dear Writer,

Thank you for your submission to Literotica. We appreciate the time and effort you've taken to write a story and submit it to our site. However, we've found that we cannot post your submission in its current form. The checklist below may help you in re-examining your manuscript.

* The style of this submission follows the spirit of fiction far more than it does poetics. Plot is secondary to figurative language in prose poetry. Please submit as a story. Thank you.

Please feel free to re-submit the story after a Volunteer Editor has examined it, or after you've made revisions. You can find a list of Volunteer Editors here.

Please consult our Writer's Resources section and make sure you read our submission guidelines:

If you have any questions on these, please let us know.

Thanks for your time, and look forward to reading you again!

Laurel & Manu
Literotica.Com

If you'd like to read the story or prose poem or whatever it is, PM me... It's really just a fuck procedural with no figurative language, LOL, based on a true story, incidentally.

Here's an excerpt though, it's a part involving a belt:

Crack. Oh. Crack. Ah. Crack. Fuck. Crack. Fuck. Crack. Ah.

I rather like that part, LOL.

 

[champagne1982]

Dang, why so negative Carrie? Did I miss something? Those poems have always been there, but before, there were more seasoned poets there as well, which drew in more readers to the New Poems page and more writers DID read the poetry. I got many comments and messages from the authors. When the more well read poets disappeared, so did the readers. It is not a mystery.

Not negative so much as a realist. I don't see what is derogatory in my post, I just stated the simple fact that most poets post on lit to get their poems read by friends and lovers in a non-judgmental setting.

I think giving more prominence to the poetry on the index page would be akin to inviting all the nut jobs that send ridiculous comments and troll bombs to the authors of Loving Wives stories. That will kill a new poet's desire to participate faster than not being noticed by a reviewer on the pobo would.

Just my opinion ...

oh well, nobody ever listens to me...

 

[Angeline]

I think it is a really great idea to bring in new people. I wonder if the powers that be could place a link in the submission area, so that all the authors who post poems could at least know that the forum exists?



Aw. This is really beautiful. I'm with you hmmnmm. I'm a romantic, too, at heart

*****

On the topic of why more people post here than in lit proper. A big reason I don't post at lit is that I find it extremely difficult. I used to post things there but I would forget what to do every time. It's actually quite confusing if you don't already know what you're doing.

There are bazillions of posts a day, so I don't think it's the world's biggest problem for most people smart enough to set a bookmark on their computer, but I found it much easier to just come to the forum and post.

For example, go to lit. Click "submissions", go to "how to submit," find out that you are supposed to sign in. Where the hell do you sign in? First you have to go to stories/pics, which isn't really stated anywhere. That was always a very frustrating, confusing process for me. Laugh away, but I'm sure I'm not the only flakey poet out there.


*****



Here is the Reason for rejection that appeared in my literotica account (the bullet point I think is the unique part to my poem, and the mention of figurative language was the comment that was very helpful for me, I really wasn't using very much figurative language at the time and this sorta reminded me/gave me permission to do so):

Dear Writer,

Thank you for your submission to Literotica. We appreciate the time and effort you've taken to write a story and submit it to our site. However, we've found that we cannot post your submission in its current form. The checklist below may help you in re-examining your manuscript.

* The style of this submission follows the spirit of fiction far more than it does poetics. Plot is secondary to figurative language in prose poetry. Please submit as a story. Thank you.

Please feel free to re-submit the story after a Volunteer Editor has examined it, or after you've made revisions. You can find a list of Volunteer Editors here.

Please consult our Writer's Resources section and make sure you read our submission guidelines:

If you have any questions on these, please let us know.

Thanks for your time, and look forward to reading you again!

Laurel & Manu
Literotica.Com

If you'd like to read the story or prose poem or whatever it is, PM me... It's really just a fuck procedural with no figurative language, LOL, based on a true story, incidentally.

Here's an excerpt though, it's a part involving a belt:

Crack. Oh. Crack. Ah. Crack. Fuck. Crack. Fuck. Crack. Ah.

I rather like that part, LOL.

That is surprising to me, and I apologize if I sounded like I was doubting you. I don't mean to, it is just surprising to me that they reject poems for that reason. I never knew they'd reject something because it wasn't poetic enough! I know they've done so because a poem was too long (to be classified as a poem) or a story too short (to be classified as a story), so it's a new one on me. And the thing is I know how busy Laurel especially usually seems, so it seems like she wouldn't have time to check to that even, but it's all speculation on my part anyway cause I don't really know how they choose.

But thank you for the excerpt. It made me giggle.

And hey kudos to the OP of this thread. It has generated a lot of good discussion about poetry, hasn't it?

 

[EroticOrogeny]

I'm kind of surprized by your poem's rejection, too.
I know my first few were rather prosy and narrative.
Just fairly short, and of course had quite a alot of alliteration.
And I've read sever others which seemed more like prose than poetry.

 

[Angeline]

I'm kind of surprized by your poem's rejection, too.
I know my first few were rather prosy and narrative.
Just fairly short, and of course had quite a alot of alliteration.
And I've read sever others which seemed more like prose than poetry.

I remember that Champagne once wrote a long (epic, actually) poem for a Halloween contest--might have been a contest at Wicked Eve's old site. Anyway, it was clearly a poem, not a story or even a prose poem. She presented it in stanzas, it was a poem! But the Lit powers that be insisted it be classified as a story. And in that case it would have sucked if we were only using the submissions' tallies (or votes) to count anything because she could not have competed in the contest as she didn't write a "poem." Agghhh....

 

[Palba_Noruda]

Well really it was pretty much a story. But the reason I didn't want to call it a story was that there really was no lead in to the stroke part. At the time I was reading the editors forum and the AH and I decided it wasn't a story because there was no lead in to the smut. So I actually think it was fine they rejected it. It was in paragraph form with mostly complete sentences. No stanzas or line breaks or anything...

It was a good lesson. It's not even very poetic as far as prose goes. LOL.

 

[butters]

As ignorant as I am, I wasn't aware when I addressed Angeline that she was a Mod--but she knows I respect her and her pinions and I share the salutations and thanks being showered on her for her service here. Anyone who tries to Mod a group of us is a saint--anyone tried to herd cats lately?

I hear also a lot of what you, as poets, are saying: some of it distresses me--if poetry is like running a little-visited antiques store, shoot me know!

I don't find the existence of a poetry section of a porn site such a bizarre phenomenon, because Laurel and Manu have always looked for quality amongst the dross. They have attempted to filter in various ways, which sadly wankers amongst us subvert (see the ongoing farce of the awards section). But nevertheless they have tried, and I have to hand it to them for their persistence and forebearance.

They wanted poetry on this site, otherwise it would not be here. They even have a toplist for it (though only for erotic poetry, sadly).
c
So, given that poetry is evidently a real presence here on the site (desired and nurtured)why are we so unwilling to promote it?

The issue of publication elsewhere is I think a false one, as Laurel and Manu have made it clear that we still have ownership of our material. Also, to refute something my dearly respected friend Chipbutty said, if good poems are rare, try finding a good story!

I send you all my respects, but don't you all think we should open our horizons a little and stop being so introverted?

i wish it were, fridayam. honestly. of course it depends on which publications you submit to, but the majority are only interested in first publishing rights and make it clear in their submissions guidelines that not only must the work be unpublished elsewhere but also currently unsubmitted elsewhere.

I also know of poets who've subbed anyway and been accepted - it can be embarrassing if two places accept the same piece! The reluctance by many publishers to publish work already out there (hurray for those who don't mind and even welcome it - which tends to happen for anything that's won any recognition, i have to say) is another issue entirely from our ownership of copyrights.

As to finding a 'good' story, I don't spend a lot of time looking, it has to be said, but there are some shockers out there that surprise me they got accepted at all.

 

[champagne1982]

I remember that Champagne once wrote a long (epic, actually) poem for a Halloween contest--might have been a contest at Wicked Eve's old site. Anyway, it was clearly a poem, not a story or even a prose poem. She presented it in stanzas, it was a poem! But the Lit powers that be insisted it be classified as a story. And in that case it would have sucked if we were only using the submissions' tallies (or votes) to count anything because she could not have competed in the contest as she didn't write a "poem." Agghhh....

Nooo noo no. LoL It was the other way around (with Hallowe'en Bill). I wanted to submit my epic/ballad as an entry in Lit's Hallowe'en contest... The debate raged on only as email debates can until at last, the Lit powers-that-be relented and my poem is up there in my story submissions. It didn't glean enough votes to be a contender but that's not why I fought for it as a story.

Stories get more reads, contest stories get the most reads, my entry was delayed long enough that it didn't get enough reads before the contest finished. Oh well, I won as a point of fact. s'all... now, go read Hallowe'en Bill

 

[EroticOrogeny]

its a poem, though. I've only read a few stories here, but quite a few posted poems.