It's a poem, not a diary

[Leanne]

...the first rule of poetry is to never assume the narrator of a poem is the author. It may be, it may not be. I have written poems about mutilating and marinating people--and I certainly haven't done that. This poem is about anyone who has self-doubt...meaning, everyone. But thanks for the support.

I love that you expect us to believe you haven't done that

I get so tired of repeating myself on this subject -- for crying out loud, people, grow a brain.

[Tiger the Lion]

I think for new writers, it is so hard to step out of the first person, that they can't imagine anyone else managing it.

When I was 18, I learned George Eliot was a women. Still in therapy over it. -Paul

[Truerenigma]

gawsh. that one never ends. it would be a neat trick if everything written became fact, but it's not possible. for instance, what I just said. nothing can become "fact", because "fact" is just an abstract noun. it can't even become /an/ abstract noun. it can be something labeled by an abstract noun, but the label doesn't really fully represent any specific thing, does it? i mean, it can't stand in its place. You can't eat the word "food". You can eat a piece of paper with the word food written on it, because you think that means it is actually food, but that would just make you an idiot.

[bena]

Well Leanne, I pretend online that I haven't done that. Is it working? ; )

[newsclippings]

People tend to write and talk about what they know about most.

[Truerenigma]

Well Leanne, I pretend online that I haven't done that. Is it working? ; )

I dunno, do you believe it?

[bena]

People tend to write and talk about what they know about most.

am I being accused of murder?

and to true---I believe everything I see online!

[Truerenigma]

People tend to write and talk about what they know about most.

I dunno, some people just string words together. Others might learn as they go. Some people like to make stuff up, and other like to turn real things into made up stuff.

I tend to forget things faster than I write em, so I never have any clue what I'm talking or writing about. It sure is fun to say stuff though.

[newsclippings]

It still holds true in the end. It's an enigma.

[Leanne]

Well Leanne, I pretend online that I haven't done that. Is it working? ; )

Yes, Mel, of course it's working. Whoever would suggest otherwise?

[billy]

I think for new writers, it is so hard to step out of the first person, that they can't imagine anyone else managing it.

When I was 18, I learned George Eliot was a women. Still in therapy over it. -Paul

same here, once i found out i just masturbated.

---

[quote='bena' pid='170875' dateline='1406935405']
...the first rule of poetry is to never assume the narrator of a poem is the author. It may be, it may not be. I have written poems about mutilating and marinating people--and I certainly haven't done that. This poem is about anyone who has self-doubt...meaning, everyone. But thanks for the support.

i;m with you and leanne on this one, it was always obvious to me that i shouldn't take a poem as truthful...even if it was. often i saw a poem as being about me or one of my life experiences. not always though.

if it were true that poetry was about the author, why aren't rape and, murder and pedo poets all imprisoned? and let's not forget the suicide poetry, who do those bastards kill themselves then write a poem about it

---

does that mean i can never buy a can of food cos they may be lying on the lable

gawsh. that one never ends. it would be a neat trick if everything written became fact, but it's not possible. for instance, what I just said. nothing can become "fact", because "fact" is just an abstract noun. it can't even become /an/ abstract noun. it can be something labeled by an abstract noun, but the label doesn't really fully represent any specific thing, does it? i mean, it can't stand in its place. You can't eat the word "food". You can eat a piece of paper with the word food written on it, because you think that means it is actually food, but that would just make you an idiot.

---

i once read a poem and thought "this is a really shitty piece of poetry" a few days later i came across it again and it had my name on, just glad i didn't give it feedback cos it would have been slaughtered.

[Keith]

I would ask does it matter, it could be that the authors voice is so convincing that readers are drawn into believing it must be true and then naturally assume it to be true of the poet, for me it only becomes an issue if the subsequent feedback is tainted i.e. 'I feel your pain' 'hope you learned to deal with your self abuse' 'yes I have big feet too, were do you buy your shoes ?'

I think every poem tells us something about the poet no matter how small and I find that quite interesting.

I have a question...If a poet posted an unsuitable, vulgar, beyond the pale poem...would the mods remove the poem or the poet ?

If the latter is true then surely this blurs the line between poet and poem.

[Truerenigma]

some good points Keith, but I think the *tainted* feedback you mentioned is precisely why this issue keeps getting brought up.

[bena]

some good points Keith, but I think the *tainted* feedback you mentioned is precisely why this issue keeps getting brought up.

it's like the herpes of regurgitation

[billy]

I have a question...If a poet posted an unsuitable, vulgar, beyond the pale poem...would the mods remove the poem or the poet ?

If the latter is true then surely this blurs the line between poet and poem.

some (and it's a very rare occurrence) poetry gets removed because it breaks the law. child porn, gratuitous graphic rape etc.
and not really as it's the poem that's being sanctioned and not the poet (though some will argue that's not true.

in total i think the site has gutted two or three obnoxious poems, that's not a bad percentage. we do ask for a spoiler in the subject heading for nasty stuff though. as for unsuitable or vulgar...we have a shit load of those on the site. i dislike many of them because of the content but censorship of that kind isn't on,

often i'll ask the mods "if we can ban him or her" and they shout me down with a " no yo can't"

i'm not a lover of people giving sympathy for a poem unless they know it to reasonably true.

i've just thought of a new style of poetry

diarhetic poetry

[bena]

i've just thought of a new style of poetry
diarhetic poetry

welp, it goes with the herpes and vomit.

[Keith]

some (and it's a very rare occurrence) poetry gets removed because it breaks the law. child porn, gratuitous graphic rape etc.
and not really as it's the poem that's being sanctioned and not the poet (though some will argue that's not true.

in total i think the site has gutted two or three obnoxious poems, that's not a bad percentage. we do ask for a spoiler in the subject heading for nasty stuff though. as for unsuitable or vulgar...we have a shit load of those on the site. i dislike many of them because of the content but censorship of that kind isn't on,

often i'll ask the mods "if we can ban him or her" and they shout me down with a " no yo can't"

i'm not a lover of people giving sympathy for a poem unless they know it to reasonably true.

i've just thought of a new style of poetry

diarhetic poetry

My question was a general one, not referring to this site in particular, I actually believe this site is very tolerant with its rebel members.

I do however believe the poem is part of the author, once he or she has chosen a muse and put pen to paper then the poet is responsible for the words on the page and how they could effect a reader. Of course I'm not implying that this makes the poem real and of the poet, what I am saying is the Poet should be held accountable for the poem. So in the case of the very rare occurrences then I would totally support the removal of the poem and the banning of its author.

diarhetic poetry is not new, I've been writing it for years

---

People tend to write and talk about what they know about most.

am I being accused of murder?

and to true---I believe everything I see online!

All the adds, pills, creams and accessories that promise to extend a penis by three inches are all lies.

[bena]

i

All the adds, pills, creams and accessories that promise to extend a penis by three inches are all lies.

What...you must've ordered from the wrong Chinese company...my penis grew when I used them.

[Leanne]

That's a wart, Mel.

[bena]

HAH i knew you'd get me with something.