01-13-2013, 04:57 PM
It's not for the faint hearted, that's true 
-- but we don't expect professionalism, just a deeper reading than is really needed in most of the other places. It's where "criticism" really comes into its own, as it was first intended -- from "kritos" or "judge", not mere censure as it's been interpreted in more recent times. Serious critique requires that you really think about not only the poem itself, but also your own responses. It takes practise but it's so helpful to the writer, and we appreciate the effort it requires.
-- but we don't expect professionalism, just a deeper reading than is really needed in most of the other places. It's where "criticism" really comes into its own, as it was first intended -- from "kritos" or "judge", not mere censure as it's been interpreted in more recent times. Serious critique requires that you really think about not only the poem itself, but also your own responses. It takes practise but it's so helpful to the writer, and we appreciate the effort it requires.
It could be worse