[Tracey Gratch]

Congratulations, Cally. Fine answer.

Tracey

[David Mason]

Hasty corrective to Philip. It wasn't I who read Cally's poem based on personal speculation. You will see if you re-read my note that it was the poem itself I loved from the get-go. I was remarking that others had read it in speculative terms. What I am growing to love about Cally's poetry is a force of personality and persona that, coupled with charged and ecstatic language, lifts the work into a rare vitality. I want vitality in art, not correctness of any sort. I love the sass of it.

Cheers,
Dave

[Shaun J. Russell]

I suppose it's easy to take things personally here. After all, poems are in most cases an extension of one's person -- whether it's personal emotion, personal experience, personal observation of the human condition etc. But I can't for the life of me understand how someone could be terrified of a poetry critic. I mean no offense by saying so Cally, but what on earth can a person halfway around the world say to you that strikes fear into your heart?

There are many things that Eratosphere is great for. A community of (mostly) formalist poets is a GOOD thing, for the most part. It's encouraging just to know they're there, and a lot of the criticism and support is hugely beneficial to our particular brand of poetry in general. But without Eratosphere, formal poetry would still exist. Likewise, without positive or negative comments leveled at your poems, I would expect that your writing would still continue and evolve, just as it does WITH positive or negative comments. It's fine to be influenced by commentary, but it shouldn't affect the ultimate impetus behind your poems.

I guess I'm just baffled at the notion of "terror" at another's comments, or the need to defend the fact that you now couldn't care less about what Michael Cantor thinks of your poetry. It should be even simpler than that: if you find any value in what someone says, then use that value to your poem's advantage. If you do not find any value / merit in someone's comments, you are under no obligation to incorporate anything in those comments.

Frankly, I've haven't been a fan of all of your poetry. But by no means do I think that your poetry isn't valid, doesn't have merit, or isn't worth reading (or worth your writing, for that matter). The fact that I'm not going to rush to read the next Cally poem shouldn't offend you -- it simply shouldn't matter to you. There will always be people who utterly love your work, just as there will be people who don't really care about it.

Your poem won an anonymous reading among a dozen other poems. Take something from that and build on it.

[R. Nemo Hill]

I think that terror simply implies a depth of emotion that not all of us surrender to. It doesn't even seem such a negative thing to me.

Nemo

[Cally Conan-Davies]

So true, Nemo - terror is so enlivening! Terror never stopped me doing anything. Terror moves me like nothing else - it's irresistible!

No offence taken at all, Shaun! I've never felt 'offence' - (is it actually an 'emotion'?) Fences aren't for taking, they're for jumping.

Let there be no mistake - I love the Sphere. I've fed my heart on it, and bled my heart into it. I adore the whole experience of workshopping a poem - terror and all! I love how people come in and play around with my word-creations! The generosity of people here is stunning! And I adore Michael Cantor, and have enormous respect for what he does here. I will never forget when I posted 'For VW' - Michael was the first to comment, and he wrote one word, and the word was "Beautiful". I just wanted to fling myself into his arms! I remember all the support you gave my poems when I first started writing, too, Shaun. Your warm words of appreciation were a major encouragement to keep writing! I will always be grateful to you for that. I don't mind at all that you don't care for what I write now - not at all! And it certainly doesn't affect how I value your generous critiques and praise when I first started writing poems.

Thanks Phlipper, (fair suck of the sav, mate!) and Tracey, and Darling Dave Whom I Adore More Than Tongue Can Tell!

Now, lest I again feel an urge to fling myself into the arms of Michael, let's fling ourselves into French Repeating Forms!

Cally

[David Rosenthal]

Originally Posted by R. Nemo Hill

I think that terror simply implies a depth of emotion that not all of us surrender to. It doesn't even seem such a negative thing to me.

Nemo

Besides, wasn't what she said all about how she is overcoming the specific terror she identified?

Cally -- for the record, yours was the only one I recognized from the boards and knew who the author was, but it didn't matter one way or another -- it is a fine poem and was, IMO, easily the cream of this very fine crop. (And for my money, there is no real problem with the last line. There are "permissibly scannable" readings possible, if that matters to anyone, but it is a killer close anyway.)

Best,

David R.

Cross-posted with your last post, Cally. (That means we were just standing next to each in cyber land. Cool.)

[Cally Conan-Davies]

(Very cool! Imagine standing close in real land - very huge hugs for you, David Ahh!)

Thank you for this, and for everything you've ever given me - all the feedback and advice and encouragement. You have always been unstinting with your time and energy and help. There aren't enough ways to thank you, David R. Ahh!

Cally

[Shaun J. Russell]

By the way, I probably missed typing a word or two when I said "I've never been a fan of your poetry", as that's not true. I distinctly remember some poems of yours which I've liked a great deal. I'm not sure what possessed me to say that -- mea culpa!

[Cally Conan-Davies]

No worries at all, Shaun! It's really lovely to talk with you again!

Cally

[Seree Zohar]

neh, it's
FREEIZ y'AR sorf!
crack open a pack a'timtams, timtammer! doozpwa n'wowza to the oz!