my muse does not exist.

[shemthepenman]

there is only really one solution. make me a mod and i'll clean up this god forsaken town.

So the nuclear option.

BOOM

[Todd]

back to the problem:

The impression I get is that reviewers/critics here fasten upon the first putative problem like an errant comma and thenceforth snuffle through the remainder looking for more. Have noted that there be scant few bits of praise for the whole of anyone's efforts, only for bits and pieces of it. Wherefore Art was read by divers friends, English faculty among them, and all laughed. None of you did.

the above was part of a comment in a serious thread. they don't realize they're in a workshop environment, they just think they're in the big boy's forum where an errant comma shouldn't be mentioned. that's there's scant scant praise for the whole of anyone's efforts because it's really not a workshop but a well done you and the poem forum. of course there can be too much ridiculous in feedback but the place is a workshop.

That's exactly the problem, as I see it, billy. Making Workshop the focus; I thought it already was.  This kind of generic put-down (reviewers/critics here) has no place in a workshop. The passive-aggression of that 'snuffle', and the implied insult (English faculty/none of you) have no place. Responding to critique by pointing out how stupid 'everyone' is - has no place. So I've been surprised when the Mods allowed all of this to continue. I thought Serious was a bit more serious, I guess.

Maybe you have to be invited to join the Workshop? 

The invitation only idea has some merit.

I hadn't read that reply above (English faculty bullshit one not Mercedes comment). What bothers me about it is how self defensive it is. You have enough trouble on a website like this keeping people honest once they like one another (somewhat). People worry about feelings to the detriment of the work. I haven't read the poem in question but perhaps the reason no one laughed is they didn't find it funny. I tend to only comment on poems where I see something that I believe the poster can fix, or I really like something about the poem. We do actually praise work here--if you aren't seeing praise it isn't because we've agreed to suppress our own inclination to gush it's more that we haven't found anything to gush over. That's the more common default position of reading poetry online.

[Todd]

there is only really one solution. make me a mod and i'll clean up this god forsaken town.

So the nuclear option.

BOOM

Defcon 1

Kiss your kids

Just us and the cockroaches here

[billy]

we want it to be less mod heavy-handed.

we okay, the other mods don't like being the bad guys.
what we want is members to be more responsible.

and yes we are a focused workshop sadly many don't use us as such.

back to the problem:

The impression I get is that reviewers/critics here fasten upon the first putative problem like an errant comma and thenceforth snuffle through the remainder looking for more. Have noted that there be scant few bits of praise for the whole of anyone's efforts, only for bits and pieces of it. Wherefore Art was read by divers friends, English faculty among them, and all laughed. None of you did.

the above was part of a comment in a serious thread. they don't realize they're in a workshop environment, they just think they're in the big boy's forum where an errant comma shouldn't be mentioned. that's there's scant scant praise for the whole of anyone's efforts because it's really not a workshop but a well done you and the poem forum. of course there can be too much ridiculous in feedback but the place is a workshop.

That's exactly the problem, as I see it, billy. Making Workshop the focus; I thought it already was.  This kind of generic put-down (reviewers/critics here) has no place in a workshop. The passive-aggression of that 'snuffle', and the implied insult (English faculty/none of you) have no place. Responding to critique by pointing out how stupid 'everyone' is - has no place. So I've been surprised when the Mods allowed all of this to continue. I thought Serious was a bit more serious, I guess.

Maybe you have to be invited to join the Workshop? 

and we agree, serious should be a bit more serious, it's why i started this thread in hope of airing our dirty laundry. as of recently the admin and mods have pointed out a particular thread going awry.

[rowens]

Two hundred years ago, nobody needed moderators to write a poem. I don't understand the answer to the question. I have a muse and they're not always good. A man needs a maid, and she's a real handful. Everybody should write their own poems, and if they're no good they're not a poet. Criticism is always serious.

[billy]

so we lose the mods let the site evolve into a love it poetry site? and sorry but i don't see everything so black and white. crit may be serious yet it can make a person smile. moderators don't write people's poems. and no man needs a maid. i know i have one and she's an employee who we rate very highly. enough to treat her as a person and not a maid, but i digress. if they're no good they're not a poet...did you ever think that's part of the reason why we're called a workshop?

[rowens]

There are too many good poets, because there are too many workshops. There are so few great poets because of the same reason. I'm not great. Are you? I can't even afford a maid.

[QDeathstar]

just use the "you know it when you see it" rule and move on...

[rowens]

Great always is losing in your own pathetic way which comes through. That's what makes things like poetry so hard, the more efficient you are at it the duller it seems in these hot times.

[billy]

wealth is not greatness.

and better a world of many good and few great poets than a world of bad poets or a world of great poets. both would be boring, none would shine. good poets can aspire to greatness, bad have much more need of workshopping.

There are too many good poets, because there are too many workshops. There are so few great poets because of the same reason. I'm not great. Are you? I can't even afford a maid.

[rowens]

The world is boring. That's because nobody believes in muses. Believing in muses makes the world exciting for a reason. All you have to do is believe. It's like taking a drug. But it's nothing synthetic or natural.

[Quixilated]

Hey! Don't say nobody.  I've got muses.

Actually, I think it's more like they've got me . But still ...

you're right it makes everything super fantastic!!!!

[QDeathstar]

what is your muse wearing quix? A topless fur and jiggle constrained only by spandex overstretched on husky thigh? I do hope so!

[Quixilated]

You know, they're kind of glowey so it's hard to tell, But I always thought fairy things usually run around naked.  They only wear fairy muslin when they have to deal with people.  They don't really consider me people any more though ... I think I'm more of a pet.

[Achebe]

what is your muse wearing quix? A topless fur and jiggle constrained only by spandex overstretched on husky thigh? I do hope so!

Spandex on a husky's thigh would in all likelihood  be chewed off