a point arose about this is not poetry

[milo]

When I read a piece, I just read. If something is disruptive to the reading, I note it. If I understand why it is disruptive, I note that. If I have a solution that would correct the disruption I may include that. Some things are easily remedied because they are of a technical nature, e.g., grammar, syntax, meter, and so on. Sometimes the problem is more esoteric, and though I might be able to explicate, it would require more than I am willing give to do so. Lastly, there is the problem that, for whatever reason, I am unable to identify/explain it's nature. I still know it is a problem because it is disruptive to the reading. Personally I think it is enough on my part to note that a problem exists. To give specific reasons why it is a problem is a luxury, and to offer possible solution even more so. When I am being critiqued I expect no more than the person to note any problems they see, I assume it is my responsibility to come up with a solution if I concur with their assessment. As far as praise, this has been my experience. I have had pieces praised by a group of people, that when exposed to a wider audience were received with a big yawn. An assessment of my skills is no more valid than an assessment of the validity of my poem. If I find something remarkable in the work, or in the person I will comment on it, but as this rarely happens I do not consider it encouragement. Anything beyond this I feel I would be playing the person false, I would be just as guilty as the tens of thousands of sycophants that exist on the many vanity sites that populate the web, maybe to a lesser degree and with more understanding, but still no different. If someone can tell me a rule to know when I pass from encouragement to flattery I might reconsider, although I doubt it. I do not think I know myself so well yet that I am willing to bet I always know what my motives are, or wise enough to know where such "encouragement" will lead. So I think I will leave it to those wiser than myself to offer encouragement to the discouraged poet, that is not an arena I am willing to enter.

There is a Sufi tale that goes as follows:

A master and his pupil were walking down a road. In the middle of the road was a small turtle. The pupil, feeling compassion for the turtle and fearing that he might be in danger of being run over, picked him up and moved him to the edge of the path. His master asked him why he did such a thing and the pupil explained his reasoning expecting praise from his master for being so kindhearted. Instead his master rebuked him, saying, "As the turtle was not moving one way or the other when we came upon him, how do you know which way he was going. It is possible all you have done is wasted the effort he had already made, and increased his danger as he now may have to cross the entire path instead of just half."

Dale

There is another Sufi tale (that I am too lazy to quote) about helping a butterfly escape the chrysalis but then it dies because it needs that resistance to build strength to survive.

The moral is this: you don't know that encouragement benefits poets anyway, they may need discouragement. Having something to fight against makes.the strong survive and the weak ? - let's face it, they are going to give up once they find out it's hard anyway.