tamarap2: I have missed the site and missed contributing to it. Just been in a bad place and my creativity flew out the window to some unkown location. Hopefully, it is on its way home again. I will try to offer up some reviews. I haven't forgotten all of you. T |
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tamarap2: I think if people did not give five and sixes just because poems award big bucks...that would help the ranking to hold more clout. That's my suggestion- rather than complaining. And rate poems that are good poems, not that award higher member dollars. With integrity, I feel we can get the site on track! It is a shame for so many good poets to have such low ratings when their poems are jewels. So anyway, that's my suggestion. And is the rule I play by- |
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tamarap2: Ever since I have set my reviews to "comments only", it's as if I get less reviews than normal. I'm offering the same amount of member dollars. Wierd. |
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tamarap2: What does Level 7 mean in regards to reviewing? I still have the one blue star I've always had. |
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tamarap2: when I am up late writing, I always have the tv on for background noise and I have become addicted to Friends reruns. I don't like to write sitting in a silent room-maybe jot down notes, but... |
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tamarap2: Well,I did it. I am accepting comment only. I took the plunge. |
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I like it. - | ||
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tamarap2: You know, there are some reknowned poets who write poems that I wonder if many people understand. It's as if one needs a classrrom setting to dissect them and figure them out. I have felt that it is straying from the art of poetry to include author notes with my posts. But on occassion, maybe it's ok to do. What do you think? As much as I like Plath and Sexton, at times I ask myself what in the hell are they talking about. I prefer poems that encompass clarity and allow the reader to "get it". |
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Other times their use can be analagous to explaining the punchline of a joke, i.e., if you have to explain why it's funny, it probably wasn't much of a joke to begin with! I don't "get" every poem I read, either. But I also think it's the poet's prerogative to express what he/she wants to express in whatever way he/she finds artistically appropriate. Of course, when that happens, I turn to my crossword puzzles...LOL! - | ||
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**slaps knee self-amusedly** I believe the level represents the number of Seal of Quality awards the member has received? Level 1 = 1 SoQ, Level 2 = 2 SoQs, and so on... - | ||
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yep! - | ||
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tamarap2: How do you type a hyphen? It's not in symbols and I have been using dashes, because I can figure out the whole hyphen thing. Can someone tell me. |
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Hyphens are the connectors: they make two words one, like Norma's example. Dashes are to separate things. There's the style (is it American, Norma?) of word--word, no spaces; or there's the one I'm more used to, of word - word. The space maketh the dash, lol. I confess I prefer the latter because the long-dash style without spaces looks cluttered, but that's just my taste. Only thing is to stick with whichever you choose. :) - | ||
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tamarap2: Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark. In the hopeless swamps of the not-quite, not-yet, and not-at-all, do not let the hero in your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserve, but have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is possible, it is yours. Ayn Rand "Atlas Shrugged" |
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tamarap2: ok, I am feeling very disillusioned. I really like fanstory. I like being a part of this writing community and I enjoy reading the poetry on this site. And I learn here, as well. With that said, I do think we are living in a small world. In the grand scheme of things, I feel that there is some good poetry on the site. Excellent-occassionally. Exceptional- not really. That definitely goes for me. I know I am a very average poet in this great big world. I think we are comparing each other within the site and have created our unique subjective way of rating poetry. I wish we could re-adjust things. Average to good=excelent to exceptional, and it should not. People are so offended if they recieve a good-ridicules. Average poetry is average poetry, but on this site it is a big slap in the face. All of us, including the top ten poets on the site, have plenty of room for improvement. I am asking everyone to be conservative when rating my poetry. Goods are ok with me. That way, an excellent will mean something. I would be embarrassed for certain poets to see some of my poetry that has been ranked exceptional. This is where I am with all of this tonight. I am aware that this is commented on repeatedly on this site, but this is how I feel. |
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steve - | ||
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tamarap2: Does anyone out there sometimes feel that there style and voice has become predictable? I do. |
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tamarap2: what are your feelings re: free verse poetry with no punctuation-just line breaks and that's all? |
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IMO, with the possible exception of SPaG errors, nothing will turn a reader off quicker than having the message get lost in the medium. - | ||
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tamarap2: My sentiment...if you receive four stars for your poem that means it is good. So many seem to get insulted and upset by a four. Who cares? I wish fours were handed out as if they were fives, then fives would mean something, and sixes would really be exceptional. |
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tamarap2: Foothills Publishing accepted my chapbook for the Springfed Chapbook Series! It's a start! |
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tamarap2: It's nice to see a lot of new writers this year. |
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tamarap2: Has anyone gotten questionable reviews from Stevensonlisa914? I am wondering if she/he is ligit. Just joined this month, no postes. |
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Way to go. Nancy - | ||
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tamarap2: Thank you to all of those writers who have given me some good, sound suggestions over this past week. You know who you are |
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tamarap2: I have been reading a poet named Walter Benton. He was born in Austria and is of Russian descent. He fought in WWII and published his first book of poetry in 1943. I have his book, an original hardback. The cost $3.95 cents. His talent is priceless- it's like nothing I've come across. He is now on my official list of favorite poets. His words pull tears from my eyes. His two books: Never a Greater Need and This is My Beloved. His love poems are staggering. With each reading I am slayed. I suggest that before before attempting one's next love poem-this is a must read that will leave you astounded by his mastery of words of love and longing and passion- I assure you, you will be a changed person with a daunting task ahead of you when writing your next love poem |
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tamarap2: Some people must spend a fortune posting poetry on this site, or either they review all the live long day- my trite phrase for the day :) I can only review so much, and then I'm exhausted. I do take my reviews seriously, like many of us. That's why I get so tired, I think. This is not a negative comment-just an observation. |
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tamarap2: "If you are a poet, you will see clearly that there is a cloud floating in this sheet of paper. Without a cloud there will be no water; without water, the trees cannot grow; and without trees, you cannot make paper. So the cloud is in here. The existence of this page is dependent upon the existence of a cloud. Paper and cloud are so close." - Thich Nhat Hahn |
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tamarap2: I want to remove a poet from the poets I am following. Does anyone know how to do that or is it possible? To be clear, I do not want to mute. I just do not want all of his/her poems sent to me by private message |
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tamarap2: Sometimes I struggle when rating poems that have good rhyme and meter, but are predictable, trite, and generic. It's hard to give four stars for a poem then explain why, when line breaks are good, the stanzas structurally sound, the rhyme and meter are good, but the poem itself just isn't. I do not like to rate a poem based on content/subject matter, but sometimes... I struggle with all of this because I take my reviews very seriously. I also wonder what would happen if all poems were posted offering the same amount of member dollars for a review. So many good writers can be found in the lower ranks, while many with higher ranking just buy them. I know this is old new and is over discussed on this site, but I'm just saying... |
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matter/content I am mostly referencing poems relating to serious subject matter, yet they lack depth and are presented in a "sing song" elementary fashion -for lack of a better explaination - | ||
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tamarap2: I find that a "humorous" poem involving accidentally killing Obama instead of Osama is a sad choice of subject matter and was disappointed to find such a thing. I did not review, because I don't give negative reviews based on content. Just a sad commentary I think |
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tamarap2: I just can't help myself when it comes to writing about the earth. It calls to me every single day. However, I'm concerned my writing is starting to become predictable. But how can I not stay true to myself? |
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tamarap2: I do want to say that even though I have criticized certain aspect of the site, I do enjoy it and have learned from my fellow writers-one of my goals for joining fanstory |
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tamarap2: Judian James's newly published book Resonate is outstanding. I highly recommend it to everyone. It is breathtaking and motivates and inspires. |
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tamarap2: I have read some of the most juvenile naughty love poems- if your going to write crude sing song poems with rhymes like those of a fifth grade poem then skip it folks. I have seen one writer that gets it. All the rest do nothing to promote the quality of the site. For God's sake, just think before you write people. Love muscles, and throbbing sticks, and my cave of love- my g spot for heavens sake. Hey, I'm all for sophisticated erotica, but not for such bad predictable trite and unimaginative writing. I know my limitations and therefore would not attempt this prompt. Many of you should have done the same. |
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tamarap2: I adore Salzburg. The Alps are an inspiration. |
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tamarap2: Without doubt, my favorite poet is Mary Oliver. I can not seem to quench my thirst for her, nor do I want to. She is beyond magnificent. She is my inspiration as of late with Divinity,The Maple, and The Tree. If only... |
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tamarap2: I seem to be drawn to trees when it comes to my poetry. I need to expand my horizon. I just love trees, though. |
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tamarap2: I learned that all writers can vote in any contest, but it seems like most of the time only those writers who have entered are the ones voting. Which sucks, when you look at the big picture. It would be nice if an email could be sent out explaining that all votes are welcomed. :) |
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Some contests seem to bring out the voters, and some do not. I've seen haiku contests with 18 entries and 40-50 votes; but I've also seen contests where a dozen short stories will elicit barely a dozen votes. Go figure, huh? If there's a pattern, it's that the easier the entries are to read--i.e., the shorter in length they are--the more voters turn out. It's a lot like reviews: the shorter pieces (usually poetry) seem to garner more reviews, especially in comparison to something like a 4,000-word short story. Not ALWAYS true, of course, and there are clearly exceptions; but that seems to be the tendency. Not necessarily good or bad, mind you. It's just human nature, I reckon, to take the path of least resistance... But I agree with Red, too: it would be nice if there were a better (read: more noticeable) way to draw attention to what's up for a vote. - | ||
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tamarap2: Does anyone agree that five star ratings on this site are a dime a dozen. I am always so grateful and excited to receive positive feed back, however I welcome knowledgeable well informed criticism...because I need it. |
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You're exactly right, tamarap2. Many reach the top simply by being heavily promoted by their authors. Period. Quality has nothing to do with it. There may be some pretty good pieces that wind up there, but it's not necessarily because they're good. It's probably because they've been (here it comes) heavily promoted. "... I'm not so sure that a poem being recognized or given an all time best is based on the quality of the work." Right again. Those little recognition devices ('Recognized' and 'All Time Best') are largely earned by receiving a certain number of reviews from other members. Still a terrific site, and a wonderful place to practice one's writing...as long as you keep your perspective and understand how things work. You should visit the FanStory Forums, if you want to participate in some spirited discussions on this very subject. - | ||
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"That's all we have in poetry land: the truth. We are not well paid, and we are not respected in our land or time, but we can tell the truth. We don't have to accede to the hypocrisies and half-truths that surround us. We are not driven by a market economy whose rewards bend and corrupt us. That's a great gift and worth the economic trade off." --- Campbell McGrath - | ||
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