Indeed. Just like... er... a good session in bed, but it's not compulsory ;)

I could use a good Sphere. :D

As a grateful but mostly lapsed Spherean, I feel I ought to contribute to this thread. First of all, I’m enormously thankful to Alex for all he’s done for us. Also, I second Quincy’s post: the value of this forum changes over time—corresponding to changes in a poet’s publishing history, his/her professional and personal life, and his/her opportunities for non-cyber workshopping. I also second Siham’s comment about the time factor; my family and my job have demanded an awful lot of both my time and my psyche in recent years. And I agree with Rick that full engagement with the Sphere can be exhausting.

So I have nothing to add, really. I do want to emphasize that my first couple of years on the Sphere provided incredibly valuable conversation, support, critique, and opportunities to critique, for which I’ll always be very grateful. I still turn to the Sphere for conversation from time to time, and yes, to brag. I really value the sense of community that I still find here, despite my failure to contribute regularly. Within most of the communities to which I belong, no one has a clue why I spend so many hours staring at a single line of words, occasionally changing one—or even knows that I do—and I do like associating with other odd folks who do such things. So despite the occasional nonsense here, I thank you all

I miss Alan Sullivan I can tell you that. I messaged him just before he died. He had just finished his translation of the Psalms and he was elated. I was so tickled that we could spend a moment, and I could remind him of how much help he was to me and to Eratosphere. I know he knew. The Sphere will endure because art endures, and Holly will endure because talent endures, and poetry will endure because almost no one can write it.

I think it makes sense to have a section that is for members only, it could be for both free verse and formal. But I don't know how hard it is to do this from a programming perspective.

It is difficult to judge whether editors are rejecting poems because they have appeared on the Sphere since rejection is so often the case anyway.

I also think most artistic concerns tend to ossify with time and people look for something new.

As a relatively new member of the Sphere I can't judge how things have changed, I know many people are put off by the aggressive approach to criticism some here adopt, it gives the impression new members arn't welcome and I know from comments on facebook that many good poets read crits on the Sphere and decide they don't want to be involved in that sort of bullying.

Also I think after a while you start to get the same sort of crits to different poems since as poets we all tend to have a 'style'.

I still think the Sphere is streets ahead of any other forum I have posted on ( and that's about 12 forums) so I keep logging on to read and comment although my enthusiasm for posting work has waned.

afterthought
I have often thought the moderators should be more proactive in censoring ad hom, disguised ad hom and just plain nasty comments from appearing on the Sphere. This is not 'robust criticism' good criticism never has to descend to that. I think if the moderators were more vigilant the whole tone of the Sphere could be raised.

Amen to that, Ross.

Regarding your afterthought paragraph: Please remember that we moderators are just like the rest of the members of Eratosphere in that we, too, have jobs/families/other commitments etc. We log in to see what's going on when we can - from our various quarters of the globe, which means that time zones come into play and we're not all around at the same time.

We were invited by Alex to do this ''job'' on a voluntary basis, and we do our best to keep the wheels turning smoothly here. No one enjoys taking a ''policing'' stance, and ad hom situations are pretty rare (thankfully) given the total amount of activity on the site. However, we step in and try to resolve problems a) if we see them and b) if we're told about them by PM or via the Report system.

How much more vigilant can we be? For instance, I'm here writing this at 1am; I'm really tired and aim to go to bed as soon as I've posted this!

One more thought: People who are put off by robust criticism are not ideal candidates for the Sphere. New members are welcome, but if they're the sort who are 'precious' about their work they don't tend to stay long; that's up to them.

Those of us who have stayed know how invaluable, rewarding and thoroughly enjoyable this community can be. I've met (both literally and figuratively) lots of people who have become close friends.

Right, that's my two cents' worth. I'm switching off and going to bed now (...so behave yourselves! :D)

Jayne

Thanks, Jayne.

+1

I would also add that mods do more than you might notice. Probably not a lot more, but we all routinely get a healthy number of PMs about issues that aren't mentioned within a thread, and warnings / suggestions etc. from mods are often PMed directly to individuals outside of public view as well.

And I reiterate something I said earlier: the best way to get a mod's attention about any issue is to report a post via the "report post" button. No one sees the report but the mods themselves. The number of reported posts we receive are surprisingly few, which is generally a good thing, but again...if there's an infraction that needs attention, and no mod has responded, well, that's what the button is for, after all.

Someone has mentioned ''the decline of the sphere'' on another thread (I forget where, exactly) but it's not in decline.

Dynamics inevitably change over time, that's all. People come and people go...

There's still a vibrant community here and I can't see that changing any time soon! :)

Jayne

People have mentioned the "decline of the Sphere" for at least the last ten years or so since I've been a member. Hey wait -- maybe its me. Maybe I'm the decline of the Sphere!

But seriously (sort of) I bet the third or fourth thread ever started here was on the "decline of the Sphere." The Sphere has thrived longer in its "decline" than most things do in their prime.

David R.