Thread: "Poems" section

I remember a quote from chiefblackhammer. A poem of the month contest was coming to an end and clearly he didn't like the outcome. He said "A majority of the serious writers aren't even on this site any more or didn't bother entering."

That was a damn un appreciative thing to say to those who had stayed on. People such as yourself who kept participating and receiverofhell, and starfire1036, and holderofadarkchalice. They insulted people who competed, it is no wonder fewer people participated after that.

Another issue that is no ones fault is that when people competed on other sites they would do searches to prevent plagiarism. This resulted in people having to explain that we went by different names on other sites. It got very confusing.

I used to compete in that forum and stopped. I didn't like saving my best up for the contest, and in general I had won enough that I felt it was time to step aside and let others have fun. The same group every time could get a little boring after awhile.

A majority of the serious writers aren't even on this site any more or didn't bother entering.

I'm not sure if this is really a direct quote from hammer or not. But I remember him saying something to that effect, and it is true. I don't find it insulting, but rather unfortunate that serious writers have become less than a minority... nearly obsolete.

Merely participating in a contest does not make one a "serious writer". It could be said that discontinuing participation would speak more toward ones seriousness. Not that this is by any stretch the only place one could write. But when there were more serious writers here, it enhanced the community in my opinion. Those who bowed out had their reasons, maybe as simple as having more important things to do in a non-internet environment. Sometimes I think I am more bothered by certain others reasons FOR participating.

I read your recent comment in the poem of the month section. I am not going to qoute the whole thing there is no reason to. You have been writing here for a long time and commenting. I rarely remember you liking anything I wrote. Sure their were a few pieces, but I can only think of one. You said that my Choka was interesting. Too short for you but you thought it was interesting. Probably because I had stopped competing with you. But for the most part negative comments from you.

When you won you accepted the praise. Not hard to do but every time you lost you would always complain that poetry shouldn't be about competition. Sweet in victory, bitter in yeilding.

I stopped competting in that section of the forum 8 months ago. 8 whole months. You see I realized eventually that collaboration and consolidation were far more interesting than competition. You sit in your ivory tower working only with yourself and anyone who writes something different you tag as something less than yourself. But it is the way I keep learning, keep improving. The only time you ever lowered yourself enough to deal with anyone is when the contest rules made you and I remember your grace than. Even then you took some shots expressing your disapproval at me joining more than one side.

Now not only are you fighting for a retroactive victory in January you complain about my prominice even after I have moved on and am working with many other people. You say I am overshadowing. You were one of the fierces detractors when I was competing and now that I left there is still my shadow for you to blame anything that doesn't go your way on.

You may have problems but they are not caused by others. Sure other people may win the contest but it is your own ego that owns you. You would write some of the best lines in the forum but a single line doesn't make you better than everyone else. You just think it does.

What makes someone strong is they never stop learning. Most of the stuff I put out there that you spat venom at as you lost was stuff I had been through. Good writing doesn't come from sitting around and attacking everyone else. It is a process. The inspiration is in the process. Climbing all day so you can say you were the tallest person in the country for those seconds, getting lost in the back alleys of some foreign country, kicking down the bad guys door, from doing something different this week just so you know how it feels. It comes from the well of emotions given you by the experiences and people around you but when I read your stuff I don't see people. It always just says peachfollows.

Everyone has moved on from that Poem Of The Month Contest and your still battling it out for January's spot. Eventually you have a lot of victories because in the future it will probably just be you.

You say I am overshadowing you, well than step into the light. Let go of this silly contest and work with us.

Originally Posted by beast

I remember a quote from chiefblackhammer. A poem of the month contest was coming to an end and clearly he didn't like the outcome. He said "A majority of the serious writers aren't even on this site any more or didn't bother entering."

That was a damn un appreciative thing to say to those who had stayed on. People such as yourself who kept participating and receiverofhell, and starfire1036, and holderofadarkchalice. They insulted people who competed, it is no wonder fewer people participated after that.

Another issue that is no ones fault is that when people competed on other sites they would do searches to prevent plagiarism. This resulted in people having to explain that we went by different names on other sites. It got very confusing.

I used to compete in that forum and stopped. I didn't like saving my best up for the contest, and in general I had won enough that I felt it was time to step aside and let others have fun. The same group every time could get a little boring after awhile.

You can go back and read what I wrote here. However I would seriously prefer you not speak on my behalf or even quote me since you can't seem to do it without taking it out of context. All you heard was what you wanted, in reality my comment was not a slam on any of the contestants, it was completely and only directed at your comment that you weren't going to compete anymore because you had won "x" number of contests.

It in no way implied you or any of the rest of the contestants weren't a "real" poet or that anyone who left the site or didn't enter was "better" all I was saying was with 6 votes and beating only a few poets isn't much of an achievement to go strutting around like you were too good to enter and needed to make it fair to the others by removing your works from competition. I think that was insulting to the other contestants, hence my comment.

Also I have never said I gave a flip who won the contests, so to say I was unhappy with who was winning and who was loosing is a lie. If you had a freaking clue how I feel about poetry you would never even question me on it. I studied poetry in college on levels you couldn't imagine unless you have been through similar courses, I have written for 20 years, spent countless hours reviewing poem after poem for the POTM as a JUDGE on numerous sites, worked with youths in my local community to show them that poetry wasn't for "wusses" it was an art to be appreciated and proud of and probably read no less than 50,000 poems written by all kinds of skill levels in my life.

I would never slam anyone's work even if I felt it utter rubbish or child's work simply because I see it all as a learning process and the literal pouring of ones soul onto paper, no matter how long someone has been writing. Like a proud parent I see every "stick figure" of a poem as a van gogh.

What I hate is arrogance and the berating of others, it is wonderful if you are as skillful as Poe, Frost or Walton but that is no reason to boost or act like you have arrived.

POTM as we know it came to an end because in the last 2 contests 1...or at most 2 people entered...in the voting 2 non contestants voted. How do I have anything to do with that? Furthermore what reason is there to have a contest when so few are participating?

If I am the issue with POTM then fine I will step aside but I don't see how simply posting contests, making polls and posting winner threads constitutes being an issue. The only time I have even given my opinion on an entry openly is when I was a fellow contestant or when I was directly asked to do so. However that doesn't mean POTM is dead or that I am done trying, I actually have a few ideas how to re-vamp the POTM into something potentially more beneficial. Time will tell.

Originally Posted by beast

....Now not only are you fighting for a retroactive victory in January ..... your still battling it out for January's spot. Eventually you have a lot of victories because in the future it will probably just be you.

You might want start paying attention before you speak and try to apologize for those comments...I mean it WAS peach's vote that made it a TIE and not a win for her. She then went on to say she didn't care if it was a tie or not, hence my closing of the thread with a tie in place.

@beast

I can't recall being bitter about losing POTM. Not enough to actually post about it. At worst, perhaps I was a playful loser, but nothing serious indeed. If I am wrong please show me (as everything here is archived) I will happily admit fault. I'm only human.

There's been plenty of times I preferred the work of others above my own. Especially when there were more prominent writers.

Your overshadowing has little to do with your writing or skill... or even YOU. It has to do with the lack of interest of others... which by default leaves you and starfire as remaining focal points. I have been willing to ride POTM till the wheels fell off, because it had been one of my favorite parts of the site. But really, 2 or 3 people stroking each others egos hardly seems like a contest at all. And beast, even without your participating in a contest... The way you address your own work, and the work of others in the poetry section, even how you regard your previous participation in the contest.. It all speaks volumes to me about the level of importance with which you view yourself. Sometimes (just sometimes) I find you to be a bit smug. Just sayin'.... it's my opinion.

Furthermore.... It's true, some of your works aren't really my cup of tea.. But, I don't remember spitting salt on them. If I've ever said anything that would be deemed unkind, it was probably regarding your attitude. Again, if you can recall something specific I would be more than happy to clear it up, and even apologize if need be. There have been pieces of yours I thought were quite nice. Overall, you are a more than decent writer in my eyes.

The frustration that inspired this journal... stemmed from seeing members put their creative efforts here, and then see that they are being picked apart by other members in a manner that seems unthoughtful to me. Criticism that isn't very constructive really rubs me the wrong way. Mind you... this hasn't happened a whole lot, but enough that I have found I must hold my fingertips back from rebuttal, thus.... avoiding the section. Which leaves me with a feeling of loss.

Also.... I frankly can't stand when people give themselves a bit too much self proclamation. It happens, and it happens more than it used to. And yes, it would seem to be a problem for specific members more than others. Which is why, again, I lament over days passed. It just seemed like there was a better sense of artistic community here once upon a time.

Maybe I'm wrong though.... its just a feeling I get.... Maybe its all in my head.

I must say, in your taking this sooo personally beast.... Even to go as far as state your horrid misinterpretation of my thoughts; and making it all about you, your wins, loses, your pieces, your participation, you, you, you.. ect. Its all part of the turn off. It's is exactly self important remarks like that, which make things hard to stomach.

***Edit. Hammer offered a direct link to his specific words. That link also happens to be an example of a time you won and I lost. Aside from me maintaining my opinion of disliking arrogance, and wishing things were more focused on writing. I made quite an effort to congratulate you.

You know, I feel if you all loved poetry just a little less, maybe you would lover each other a little more!

Seriously this is like watching the never ending story, its the same things over and over again, nothing ever gets resolved. Don't get me wrong, I like all you just fine.

I mean winning isn't everything, but why enter a contest if you don't want to win? Thats just silly, and secretly everyone wants to win. Doesn't matter what you say.

And holy crap Chief, if you have some ideas for the you need to implement them because the poem contest isn't looking too good.

And Beast we all know you are a good writer, you should enter the contests and kick some butt.

Originally Posted by Chiefblackhammer

Also I have never said I gave a flip who won the contests, so to say I was unhappy with who was winning and who was loosing is a lie. If you had a freaking clue how I feel about poetry you would never even question me on it. I studied poetry in college on levels you couldn't imagine unless you have been through similar courses, I have written for 20 years, spent countless hours reviewing poem after poem for the POTM as a JUDGE on numerous sites, worked with youths in my local community to show them that poetry wasn't for "wusses" it was an art to be appreciated and proud of and probably read no less than 50,000 poems written by all kinds of skill levels in my life.

If I am the issue with POTM then fine I will step aside but I don't see how simply posting contests, making polls and posting winner threads constitutes being an issue. .

I will not get into an arguement of who is more educator or whether I am a better poet than you. I refuse to get into a stupid measuring contest. You say you didn't care who wins. But you were both very expressive of the fact I defeated a Moderator and at the same time critical of me leaving. That is a contradiction You can't have it both ways. People participating means maybe the person you wanted to win doesn't. While your comments were meant to get a reaction out of me those comments could offend others. Yeah the other good writers left but how good were they. They wrote one or two great poems and left. How good does that make them good.


There is no need to step aside, people will still complain about you. I left 8 months ago and they are still complaining about me. It will be the same with you.

Congratulations. No one you know will lose to me again. I have stopped competing. I last won 8 months ago you should go on with your lives. Now if you want I can stop voting but that means now only 4 people would be voting. I am tired of still being blamed for what is wrong with the forum when I have left. I mean clearly poetry means more to you than to me. Because you guys can't seem to move on from when I left. It is lije you guys have PTSD from either losing or seeing the ones you favoured lose.

By the way many of the same people were voting for me each time. Sort of a base of support and while there is no rule or what not against voting for someone you like it is damn unfair to others. Not that I am saying that is why they voted for me. But no, some one like you that flaunts there disdain for anyone who wins with a poem that you think is inferior to your own doesn't garner your thanks. Only criticism.