Quote:
Originally Posted by Janet Kenny
Pay no attention to me.
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For Chrissake's, Janet, that becomes a little difficult when there are 21 responses to Catherine's post, and eight of them are by you, and all you are doing is making it clear over and over again that you are massively uncomfortable with the notion that, God forbid, somebody should find fault with a poem and focus on the weaknesses rather than smothering the poor thing in praise before - possibly - hesitantly - offering a teeny suggestion. The purpose of this site is to improve each other's poetry by critiquing it, and once you get past the beginner's level, that means by reacting honestly and professionally, not simpy offering encouragement. If - as part of that process - a contest judge, or a selector, is willing to work overtime to comment on additional entries, I think we should be delighted.
You're discomfited by this because the whole world may learn that somebody's poem only made it to fourteenth place because Catherine deemed it lacking in this, that, or the other thing? That she might forget to say
Every single poem that was entered was magnificent, but a few were just slightly more magnificent than the others? As Rose said - lighten up!
Finally, I think this concept of yours that, "Once an also ran poem has been kicked about here it's finished for submission elsewhere. Not because it's unworthy but because it's over-exhibited" is wrong, wrong wrong. Do you think that every editor in the English speaking world is monitoring this contest? That more than one or two are paying any attention? That they will pay more attention to one individual's reaction to the poem here than to their own judgement? That they will even remember in six months? And there is also the possibility that the "kicking about" will result in revision and a stronger poem.
Harrumph, and all that.
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