[Michael F]

Re: David Anthony’s post (#56):

This seems to be a common internet board phenomenon. Another board where I’ve spent a lot of time for the last 10+ years has recurrent threads bewailing the decline in the wit and quality of the posts. About a year ago, the masthead read:

[Name of board]: 20 years of being SO much better last year.

I still spend a lot of time there.

[Edmund Conti]

Originally Posted by Roger Slater

I know! Let's have a Deep End Accomplishments forum for the impressive stuff and a Piddly Ass Accomplishments forum for everything else.

I agree and speaking of the Piddly Asses of Parnassus...

[Mark McDonnell]

This poet whose luck was once sparse
and grasp of the ‘po-biz’ a farce,
when published and praised
quickly went from amazed
to acting the arrogant arse.

Hey folks. I look at this thread, and at the recent Rupi Kaur one, and I see that I’ve made more contributions to them than anyone else. And those contributions tell me that, when it comes to sounding off about what is and isn’t worthy poetry, I’ve become a bit of an opinionated dick. The ‘me’ of 18 months ago would ask the ‘me’ of today who the hell he thinks he is. And the irony is I’m finding it harder and harder to write.

I’m going to unplug and reassess for a little while.

Cheers x

Edit: My little limerick refers to me and nobody else btw. To be clear...

[Charlotte Innes]

As a periodic poster, I just discovered this thread today. Rick, I'm very glad you raised this issue. I find myself self-censoring all the time--and then I get in the same tangle demonstrated on this thread about what's worthy of posting and what's not. I published quite a bit in 2016-2017, but I'm pretty sure I haven't mentioned most of the publications. I did mention my first book, "Descanso Drive" (Kelsay Books), which I'm very proud of. And many of the poems in it were workshopped here.

But really what I want to say is that maybe we, the writers, should be judges of what we note in AM. Several people have said that--let the writer decide. I think most people do a tiny bit of self-censoring. And perhaps that's all to the good.

BUT I also agree with the beginning poets. Be proud! Tell the world it's your first publication! Or that you published five poems this year! We want to know! I've been there!

I always like the end-of-year posts, as in, here's what I published this year. It's good place to mention everything. Not much, for most people, right? Unless you're Tim Murphy. (God bless you, Tim!)

Facebook puts a spanner in the works too. I pretty much note everything there--as everyone else does. So then I think, since many of my friends are poets who post on Sphere, should I post again?.

However, concerning what to post and what not, I really would like to see the whole range. The Sphere has helped me a lot in finding places to publish. In fact, it's because of mentions on the Sphere that I've published in Antiphon (UK), Angle, The Anglican Theological Review, String Poet, New Trad (Australia), The Raintown Review, Calamaro, Lighten Up Online, Free Inquiry, Shotglass, The European Journal of International Law (UK) and Riptide (UK).

The others, including some hoity-toity ones, I encountered though recommendation by other poets, or because they pay--I researched it!--or simply because everyone knows them.

So.... bottom line: Let's keep it the way it is, with some self-censoring. Again, thank you, Rick for clearing the air!

Charlotte