Bad Poetry

[Lizzie]

So, serious question (directed at no one in particular): how do you approach critting a piece that is genuinely bad? Not bad in just one way, but fairly crappy in several areas (grammar, punctuation, format, accessibility of imagery, sonics, conceit, meter, etc). Where do you start?

I find it hard to distill the "essence de manure" into a reasonable word limit. Should I just stick with one flaw and go with it? How do you determine which errors are the most egregious?

In the first instance, I would begin with question and suggestion: was this what you meant?  You could always try it this way instead.

Like approaching a frightened bunny... instead of "Bad rabbit! Get away from there before I set the dogs on you!", more like "oh, poor hungry bunny, why don't you try this healthy nutritious carrot we keep here out in the open rather than chewing over that same stinking pile of refuse in the shadows there?"

and link to definitions/examples of techniques being used properly, or good poems that have a similar style/theme.  After all, we're not trying to hoard the secrets of good poetry for ourselves -- we're here to share it around.

The second approach, however, depends very much on the response to the first.  If said bunny then insists that the refuse pile is what it prefers to chew on and does not show any inclination to take up offers of a more nutritious, enjoyable meal... well, bunny's fair game then.  Shoot and leave it for the dogs to fight over.

Makes sense. Help first then ridicule. Can do.