A Discussion

[XLateralus]

apparently, calling all the mods cunts isn't ban worthy [or repostable for public humiliation—it just gets deleted—funny that]. and yet, saying something mildly sarcastic and irritating Ella, oh my days! Shakespeare himself couldn't get away with it.

Oh I don’t know, I’m sure, looking back, that it’s never just one thing.

[rowens]

What did you do to get banned? I wasn't around when it happened.

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The thing that I think has really got me down about the site being so slow lately is that I used to could talk to someone any time day or night. It used to make me feel that I wasn't the only alcoholic insomniac who reads poetry. Now, lately, I'm starting to feel that I was wrong. That there are no insomniac poetry readers, or if there are, they have better things to do with their life than Pig Pen Poetry.

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On the other hand, I'm glad BBCAmerica has started playing X-Files reruns every Friday night. I've always hoped that one day somebody would say I was the Fox Mulder of poetry. That's why I started writing in the first place, with the idea in mind that one day some clever book reviewer would refer to me as the Fox Mulder of poetry. But sometimes we just have to accept that we may be our own best reviewers.

[rowens]

Thank you, Shem. Or is it Penman? Is it your first or last name that's Shem or Penman? . . . And, I don't think we need to respect anybody. If I only talked to people I respected I'd never open my mouth. I don't even respect myself. . . . And, I think you should take it as a compliment that I figured out who you were based solely on your writing style and point of view. Not many people are so distinctive.

[rowens]

Well they banned you, yet they know who you are and haven't banned you. So really you're not banned. Maybe Leanne and Ellejam don't like ShemthePenman but they like Hope.

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Saying good things about this site, I think it comes down to this. This is a poetry site but it's also a site of critique. Some of us are here for the poetry, like Ellajam. Some of us are here, like me, who want to be criticized, I mean challenged. Some poetry sites will delete every foolish thing you say, Free For All Poetry for instance. Some praise everything you say, even if you're a little retarded, Poet Sanctuary for instance. For me, conflict is a form of love. I enjoy fighting with people. I like the experience. The shared experience. Shem, as a philosophy-man, I think you enjoy it too. Arguments are fun, conflict is fun. Some people might not feel that way, but so what? None of it is meant to be taken personally, I mean hatefully.

[billy]

If the sites not your cup of tea why not fuck off, I,m sure if I didn,t care for a forum I wouldn,t visit it. If you want warm and fuzzy I suggest a hot chocolate and a visit to many of the warm fuzzy poetry sites that must abound on the web.

Thank you, Shem. Or is it Penman? Is it your first or last name that's Shem or Penman? . . . And, I don't think we need to respect anybody. If I only talked to people I respected I'd never open my mouth. I don't even respect myself. . . . And, I think you should take it as a compliment that I figured out who you were based solely on your writing style and point of view. Not many people are so distinctive.

I'm not sure I agree that we don't need to respect anybody. I would have to think about that carefully. 

however, I just meant I didn't feel part of it, anymore. the site has changed and I don't recognise it. it was all warm and fuzzy back in the day. everyone was wandering about clueless, like little loved-up pill-heads at a 90s rave. now there's an appropriate forum for warm and fuzzy and you have to leave three bits of feedback to access it. and don't go posting warm and fuzzy in the deep and meaningful section! heaven forbid! because then Leanna might not like it, and might not like YOU; and then she'll passively aggressively bully you off the site.

[XLateralus]

Billy,

Shem likes the site but not it’s authority. I like reading the poems people post, but not having to deal with some paranoia-induced accusation of shadow-deleting insults.... im sure Achebe and Lizzie liked the site too, but left for whatever reason. I’m glad you are doing well, but I have to ask, why are all your apostrophes commas?

[rowens]

Shem is a man in revolt, that's his strength. I think it's silly to blame him for being who he is. And I'm not attacking you, billy, I'm just talking. Rage, rage against the dying of the light, as Dylan Thomas would say. . . . By the way, Dylan Thomas is a severely underrated poet in critical spheres. Because he's so idiosyncratic in his style, it's hard to place him. Him and Rilke, it's as if they never had to read. They are almost totally self-contained. They knew how to write before they learned to read.

[rowens]

If only we could all be Jimi Hendrix. Or rather, if only we could be Jimi Hendrix' sound. Because, and don't nobody argue with me about this, it's impossible to hate or dislike anyone while listening to that sound.

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https://vimeo.com/22527751

[rowens]

My friend, whose house I'm at right now,'s favorite song of all time is the Machine Gun from the Fillmore New Year's album. I like Burning Desire.

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We're listening to that now. I bet some of us would do well to one day meet and get high and listen to records.

[rowens]

Remind me how to do that. I forgot how to post videos in that way.

[rowens]

I'm having a hard time finding what I'm looking for of Jimi Hendrix, or Bob Dylan for that matter, on YouTube. I can't find the Isle of Wight. My favorite Hey Joe is Berkeley. But the Hey Joe from the Isle of Wight is what I was looking for.

[rowens]

That Hey Joe is Monterey?

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I have the Isle of Wight right here in my hand. But I can't post it. Or I guess I could upload it to YouTube and have it taken down before we can listen to it.

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Have you ever heard this? It's not Dylan, but I like it. What do you think?






https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHA2Yv0qYzA

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[rowens]

[rowens]

[billy]

I,m on iPad

Billy,

Shem likes the site but not it’s authority. I like reading the poems people post, but not having to deal with some paranoia-induced accusation of shadow-deleting insults.... im sure Achebe and Lizzie liked the site too, but left for whatever reason.  I’m glad you are doing well, but I have to ask, why are all your apostrophes commas?

[billy]

Then let let him join a revolting site, because he,s using a sock to break his ban rule it too wil be banned as it was for others. That's how it is. And to say you can't blame someone for who they are so let them be, sounds a little silly. I.m also fine with being attacked should you want but please do it in the piggery.

Shem is a man in revolt, that's his strength. I think it's silly to blame him for being who he is. And I'm not attacking you, billy, I'm just talking. Rage, rage against the dying of the light, as Dylan Thomas would say. . . . By the way, Dylan Thomas is a severely underrated poet in critical spheres. Because he's so idiosyncratic in his style, it's hard to place him. Him and Rilke, it's as if they never had to read. They are almost totally self-contained. They knew how to write before they learned to read.

[rowens]

I'm don't want to attack you. I'd rather everyone get away from personal attacks. At least serious ones.

[dukealien]

hope2'll get banned soon. so...

Interesting handle.  Fits in with a current idea for a poem or essay:

The mashers of the Greatest Gen used to use, "Hey, get lucky!" as a short-game come-on line.

Luck, like happiness, is getting results that are better than expectations.  Hence the come-on.

I've found, lately, that in minor ways I can make other people think they're experiencing good luck:  for example, turn off to avoid having to negotiate an awkward passing situation.  Let a truck out on the highway.  Take the other checkout line at the supermarket, pretending not to notice the open one so they can take it.  Stuff like that.  Not pandering, more like Secret Santa out of season.