Fair enough, Fred. In my own case, I just wait to see what everybody else thinks and try not to respond in a confrontational or defensive way that might encourage other posters to take sides. I know some people don't like my poems (and probably some people just don't like me), but one critic rarely "spoils" a whole thread all by himself. If his remarks are clearly ad hom, his post can be zapped and business can go on with the least disruption possible. If he's simply stating a negative opinion, there's an outside chance he's right. Maybe others will agree with him, maybe not. At any rate, he's entitled to express his opinion.
I do think there are times when an early negative crit (or an early extravagantly positive one) can set a trend for the critique that follows, and in that case the best thing to do may just be to offer the poem elsewhere for a fresh take on it.
Carol
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