Michael,
I am not referring to Eratosphere alone. Neither am I contending that this happens a lot, or to any special degree here.
I have, however, kept a watchful eye on poems of mine in the threads of which ad hom or spite have erupted very early on. And there has been a consistent trend for the negative energy to continue to propagate throughout the thread. This may partially be due to my own inability to quell this, or to muster whatever psychological defense mechanisms are necessary to stop the ad hom or spite from ringing in my ears.
Regardless, my reaction here (not voiced in the thread) was basically to make a judgment that the energy field of the poem-and-thread had been sullied. I withdrew the poem and posted it to The Gazebo.
* * * * *
I am incredibly fed up with people going off on me on poetry boards, when I have done nothing to antagonize them other than state my points honestly.
I recently had a situation develop on another board -- I am going to go ahead and name it: Bag End -- where I did a critique on a poem which was fairly well written craftwise, but the poet had pushed the poem into the maudlin zone. I liked the poem and said so, and I zeroed in on two lines which pushed my maudlin button. I said absolutely nothing derogative about the poet.
The poet went ballistic. I was a crude, barbaric lout. Allegations were made about my childhood. I was cruel and hurtful. Another member (male) chimed in and raised the same nits as I had about the poem. Then the poet asserted that men were not qualified to understand her poem, because men were not emotionally sensitive enough.
Then a moderator (female) jumped in and sided with the poet. Then two more moderators (females) gave their nods.
I quit the forum altogether.
* * * * *
As for this situation and this particular poem, I am going to play by the rules, wait a week and repost the poem.
Fred
|