I presume we're 95% adults. I presume most of us have had some schooling in poetry. I presume that most of us love it. Why else would we be here? Loneliness?
Each of us is the final arbitor. We can take and use what's useful to the poem, and ignore the rest.
Some readers will read your work better than others. Some may even see more in your work than you do. Use them. They enjoy helping you.
I think we should be ready for negative criticism if we're posting early drafts. Most of the boards I've checked out (and this is by far the best I've found) load up with poems so fast that I'm flabbergasted...until I read a few.
If you find you're spending too much time on the board, go into isolation. While there, write. Revise. Study your craft. If you get too immersed in poetry, read about Shakleton or Snakes. Take a trip. Sharpen your powers of observation.
If you're lonely, take tango lessons.
Bob
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