If we take it as read....

[. . . .]

my experience with writing: as a kid (6 to 12) i lived on the streets (not flogging my body ) and in children's homes. i taught myself to read from old newspapers and mag's i'd find laying around. needless to say i wrote very little and certainly not poetry. i had very very little schooling . i came to poetry; writing, about ten years ago but i was never prolific. nor will i ever be a true writer. i did about 14 chapters of a book and stopped for one reason or another, now i can't remember what i wrote i'd love to be a good writer, a true writer, but i don't have the determination to see it through.

Wait a minute. U came from the school of hard knocks, self taught to read and write. U went from writing very little non poetry to having a go at about 14 chapters 10 years ago but stopped because of maybe a mild case of lack of encouragement? Now U say U can never be a true writer? Yet U would LOVE to be a true writer but U lack the desire or determination to follow thru? That's bull. If U LOVE IT U WILL DO IT.. And U do love it. This site would not exist if U didn't. U have posted hundreds of actual real meaningful poetry and yet U dont have the determination to follow thru with writing? I would call this site following thru with many short stories of a kind.

So these lies U tell yourself, that U wont follow thru with writing, do U believe them? Really?

Channel the passion that drives U to make this site into a story. GEEEZ billy I can not believe U think U cant be a real writer cus of a simple lack of following thru with it one time. U have a pool of poetic people here (some of us R poetically challenged) and R more then willing to kick you in the ass when U slow up on it and edit and critique it when U need it. Try it. 10 years ago U didn't have this site and the Virtual Poets Society so to speak. Its a invaluable resource for a writer. I am calling U out on this one. Can U find those 14 chapters that U wrote? Yes I know I do not know U from Adam or Steve but I KNOW I am right on this one.
Damn U really got my spring wound on that one. I hate when people sell themselves short. Maybe decaf is a good idea for me.
U may return to your regularly scheduled topic of discussion.

[Leanne]

Channel the passion that drives U to make this site into a story. GEEEZ billy I can not believe U think U cant be a real writer cus of a simple lack of following thru with it one time. U have a pool of poetic people here (some of us R poetically challenged) and R more then willing to kick you in the ass when U slow up on it and edit and critique it when U need it. Try it. 10 years ago U didn't have this site and the Virtual Poets Society so to speak. Its a invaluable resource for a writer. I am calling U out on this one. Can U find those 14 chapters that U wrote? Yes I know I do not know U from Adam or Steve but I KNOW I am right on this one.
Damn U really got my spring wound on that one. I hate when people sell themselves short. Maybe decaf is a good idea for me.

You make me happy

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Ed, I love Danny Deever. Kipling's affinity with the "common" man, coupled with his ability to make the "cultured" understand that the "common" have sensibilities worth taking note of, makes him one of the absolute greats. That calm rationalising of death to settle the ranks, when the Colour-Sergeant is clearly quite rattled himself, almost completely encapsulates the reasons why the British Empire succeeded so spectacularly.

Not that the British weren't without their fair share of imbecilic officers...

[abu nuwas]

You make me happy

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Ed, I love Danny Deever. Kipling's affinity with the "common" man, coupled with his ability to make the "cultured" understand that the "common" have sensibilities worth taking note of, makes him one of the absolute greats. That calm rationalising of death to settle the ranks, when the Colour-Sergeant is clearly quite rattled himself, almost completely encapsulates the reasons why the British Empire succeeded so spectacularly.

Not that the British weren't without their fair share of imbecilic officers...
[/quote]

I actually thought while pasting it, that there is a resemblance of sorts to your Australian ballads, and although Kipling was not a 'working-man' , neither was Paterson. Both had the advantage, I think, of being pre-telly, and at a time when learning by rote was normal. How better than word of mouth to become known?

You're absolutely right about the Colour-Sergeant- he knows duty, but is conflicted. (My Dad became a Colour-Sergeant, but was broken back for some form of disobedience.)