A List of Poetry DOs and DON'Ts

[annaswirls]

Yes, I see that tz and bijou have both returned. How lovely and expected.

I remember the first time you ran off from literotica. Upon reading the Good bye cruel world thread, I was so distressed! Horrified! Sad and worried. A friend we have in common said to me, oh that is just what happens here. People need a break from it. She will be back.

I did not quite believe him.

But you were of course.


And then Angeline took off, had a farewell thread, and I was SO so so so sad! What can we do? How can we fix things? I remember saying. And of course, the friend told me the same thing. People go. They usually come back.


Of course, he said it in a more poetic way. Since then I have learned to not be surprised when people disappear, with or without a huff or puff or parade.

I myself had a I am leaving and never coming back thread. At least one that I remember.

Staying here for extended periods is not a good idea. Things start to seem more important than they should be. Words seem heavier than they are meant to be. Holes seem deeper.

Literotica vacations should be taken by all, and without too much fanfare, because everyone deserves a break from here. Some people don't come back and that does make me sad. Cordelia, Denis, Perks, Flyguy, clutchingcalliope, TaraBlackwood, Tagahatha, jd4george (and who was the other guy from that time????)

Nice to see these two back. Purified and renewed.

Please, someone tell me when I need a break. I usually feel it myself too late. Just say Yo Anna, go take a shower. Like a 15 day shower.

~A

 

[bflagsst]

People love melodrama and monologues and long goodbyes. I guess message boards are perfect places for monologue. Stephen's decided to present us with one this morning. That's a perfect Don't.

Don't make your exit with a monologue on a message board. Make your exit with a very strong poem that has nothing to do with message boards or criticism.

 

[darkmaas]

People love melodrama and monologues and long goodbyes. I guess message boards are perfect places for monologue. Stephen's decided to present us with one this morning. That's a perfect Don't.

Don't make your exit with a monologue on a message board. Make your exit with a very strong poem that has nothing to do with message boards or criticism.

Oh dear. I must disagree. How else are mere metaphoric mortals to know that a poetry god has ascended to a higher plane if it isn't announced in tones of high dudgeon? If we wait for gossip from the Bistro we might wait a long time, in spite of the high wattage presently being installed.

Perhaps we need a sticky "Rhyming Gods That Have Ascended" thread.


::

 

[WickedEve]

I remember the first time you ran off from literotica. Upon reading the Good bye cruel world thread, I was so distressed! Horrified! Sad and worried. A friend we have in common said to me, oh that is just what happens here. People need a break from it. She will be back.


~A

Now I just leave when I want and come back when I want. A valuable thing I've managed to learn over time. I usually let the newer crowd have most of the drama and post about how they're leaving and never returning. It's precious and makes me smile.

How are you anna dear?

 

[bflagsst]

Oh dear. I must disagree. How else are mere metaphoric mortals to know that a poetry god has ascended to a higher plane if it isn't announced in tones of high dudgeon? If we wait for gossip from the Bistro we might wait a long time, in spite of the high wattage presently being installed.

Perhaps we need a sticky "Rhyming Gods That Have Ascended" thread.


::

I guess it is good for a laugh. I'm still chuckling over the way that one dude exited with a slew of renaissance fair prose and ballad. I'm behind your messianic sticky, it's a good way to keep track of folks who probably hoped to find friendship in poetry but only found nastiness.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

I guess it is good for a laugh. I'm still chuckling over the way that one dude exited with a slew of renaissance fair prose and ballad. I'm behind your messianic sticky, it's a good way to keep track of folks who probably hoped to find friendship in poetry but only found nastiness.

No, no. Let them disappear. Too many people have thin skins. What is nastiness but one person's opinion. If the non-constructive critics get to you take them for what they are - hot air.

 

[Maria2394]

I remember the first time you ran off from literotica. Upon reading the Good bye cruel world thread, I was so distressed! Horrified! Sad and worried. A friend we have in common said to me, oh that is just what happens here. People need a break from it. She will be back.

I did not quite believe him.

But you were of course.


And then Angeline took off, had a farewell thread, and I was SO so so so sad! What can we do? How can we fix things? I remember saying. And of course, the friend told me the same thing. People go. They usually come back.


Of course, he said it in a more poetic way. Since then I have learned to not be surprised when people disappear, with or without a huff or puff or parade.

I myself had a I am leaving and never coming back thread. At least one that I remember.

Staying here for extended periods is not a good idea. Things start to seem more important than they should be. Words seem heavier than they are meant to be. Holes seem deeper.

Literotica vacations should be taken by all, and without too much fanfare, because everyone deserves a break from here. Some people don't come back and that does make me sad. Cordelia, Denis, Perks, Flyguy, clutchingcalliope, TaraBlackwood, Tagahatha, jd4george (and who was the other guy from that time????)

Nice to see these two back. Purified and renewed.

Please, someone tell me when I need a break. I usually feel it myself too late. Just say Yo Anna, go take a shower. Like a 15 day shower.

~A

YOU need a break! come to my house and eat apple pie and freeze with me in my dungeon at work. I have several work buddies who, along with me, worship the slivers of sun we see each day, but only when we immerse ourselves among those surface dwellers who speak nothing but Spanish and drywall.

I love you Anna so very glad you came back, and when you do go again, don't be gone so friggin' long!!

 

[Angeline]

YOU need a break! come to my house and eat apple pie and freeze with me in my dungeon at work. I have several work buddies who, along with me, worship the slivers of sun we see each day, but only when we immerse ourselves among those surface dwellers who speak nothing but Spanish and drywall.

I love you Anna so very glad you came back, and when you do go again, don't be gone so friggin' long!!

surface dwellers who speak
nothing but Spanish and drywall

is pretty poetic. I see a poem here, sis.

 

[annaswirls]

YOU need a break! come to my house and eat apple pie and freeze with me in my dungeon at work. I have several work buddies who, along with me, worship the slivers of sun we see each day, but only when we immerse ourselves among those surface dwellers who speak nothing but Spanish and drywall.

I love you Anna so very glad you came back, and when you do go again, don't be gone so friggin' long!!

Ange is right. Hit the return key and you got a kick ass poem.

I will try really hard not to get myself knocked up again so I can stay and play.

 

[Maria2394]

surface dwellers who speak
nothing but Spanish and drywall

is pretty poetic. I see a poem here, sis.

Ange is right. Hit the return key and you got a kick ass poem.

I will try really hard not to get myself knocked up again so I can stay and play.

Ange and Anna, Darling poetesses


Thanks for the words of encouragement. I need to find the time to write and it isn't there lately.

Anna, you would love working with me if you had a go with a sis to work day. A day doesn't go by that I don't think of you several times and hey, you can always bring the precious wee ones. I can see you now, hammer drill in hand, knocking holes in the ceiling, and loving every second.

And Ange, I tend to romanticize where you are living, thinking how wonderful it would be if I were able to write all day and enjoy nature like you do. But then, you have a really great guy who would let you do that...my hubby would go stark raving mad like Jack did in the Shining, hehe.

as for poetry, Kakalak didn't want my stuff this time around, it was disappointing, but that made me realize, I haven't worked as hard as before, so therefore, didn't deserve it. I did get a super encouraging post script from one of the editors. That made it better, lol.

So, in an effort to turn things around, ( as in actually make an attempt this time) I have perused the older poems list a bit and getting an idea for a cento. Gotta start somewhere.

sweet dreams y'all.

 

[Belegon]

Do ...be willing to try new things.
...put real emotion in your work.
...feel free to disobey any rule at any time.

Don't ...think that just because it is new it is either bad or good.
...write to the market.
...assume that the rules don't have a purpose.


oh... and Do be willing to pop back into a forum where you have been absent for a while. Even if you don't have a good explanation for where you have been...

 

[Safe_Bet]

Do ...be willing to try new things.
...put real emotion in your work.
...feel free to disobey any rule at any time.

Don't ...think that just because it is new it is either bad or good.
...write to the market.
...assume that the rules don't have a purpose.


oh... and Do be willing to pop back into a forum where you have been absent for a while. Even if you don't have a good explanation for where you have been...

SOooo, dude! You BAD explanation is????

 

[Belegon]

SOooo, dude! You BAD explanation is????

I have no desire to explain myself.


besides, what makes you think I can?

 

[Liar]

oh... and Do be willing to pop back into a forum where you have been absent for a while. Even if you don't have a good explanation for where you have been...

I second that

 

[bogusagain]

Do

break conventions

try something new

make your own rules

Don't

do something because you can and its easy

break the internal logic of a poem

seek approval


Rules and conventions are there because the same thing has been done over and over again and become part of the language of poetry. Be different, rumour has it that we are all individuals and not sheep, surprise. Bad poetry that is creative can be more interesting than good poetry that depends too much on craft.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Do

break conventions

try something new

make your own rules

Don't

do something because you can and its easy

break the internal logic of a poem

seek approval


Rules and conventions are there because the same thing has been done over and over again and become part of the language of poetry. Be different, rumour has it that we are all individuals and not sheep, surprise. Bad poetry that is creative can be more interesting than good poetry that depends too much on craft.

That's so scarifying!

 

[twelveoone]

Do

break conventions

try something new

make your own rules

Don't

do something because you can and its easy

break the internal logic of a poem

seek approval


Rules and conventions are there because the same thing has been done over and over again and become part of the language of poetry. Be different, rumour has it that we are all individuals and not sheep, surprise. Bad poetry that is creative can be more interesting than good poetry that depends too much on craft.

the only problem I have with "Do make your own rules" is I break those too.

 

[twelveoone]

DO:

8) write poetry about pagan gods and goddesses (this is a pet peeve of mine, since said writing can obviously be done well. it just usually isn’t)

.

http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=412015

Sorry, just couldn't resist
Bring back the pagan gods! ....Give us Thor!

 

[annaswirls]

http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=412015

Sorry, just couldn't resist
Bring back the pagan gods! ....Give us Thor!

Amen!

Although in a way, I think they are still there-- punishments are more subtle and slow

 

[Liar]

Don't write poetry for you. Or by all means do, but don't show it to people. Because the moment you do, it ceases to be poetry you wrote for you, and becomes poetry you wrote for an audience.

 

[KillerMuffin]

DO:

Remember when posting online that what you see on your monitor is not what other people will necessarily see on theirs. They have different browsers, different monitor sizes, different text size settings, different screen resolutions, etc. So, if you've used the no break space code, where your line ends on your monitor may not be the same on mine. It may be, though.

DO:

Write whatever you can get away with that works, but just because you think it works doesn't mean that it does.

DON'T:

Eat the big white mint in public restrooms.

DON'T

Give up on forms or meter. Learning their rhythms can help control rhythm in free verse. I offer up Annie Finch.

 

[SweetOblivion]

Do

Delight in the words

Share your pleasure with others

Read the words out loud


Don't

Scorn other people's work


M

 

[Safe_Bet]

I offer up Annie Finch.

Are you just "lending her" or can I keep her?

 

[Angeline]

Are you just "lending her" or can I keep her?

Yay Iowa. I thought of you and . Finally a step in the right direction, huh?

 

[EroticOrogeny]

Do

Delight in the words

Share your pleasure with others

Read the words out loud


Don't

Scorn other people's work


M

I second these thoughts. I open my submissions for both voting and public comments. A couple just got low marks, without any comments. If one doesn't like a work, at least provide some reason why. I read poems here I don't like, some on subject matter, others on style. For the former I just take a live and let live attitude. I generally stay silent on the latter, since my skills need considerable honing.