If one has created something that one later regrets in one's Blog...something rather dismal and dim, what is the best way to retract it? Delete...edit...or just accept that it was a mistake and move on?

Jxxx

That's not an easy one John - I'd say a lot depends on circumstances.

If you are talking a poem, I would say delete it if you don't like it.
If you are talking about a comment it varies. If it has only recently gone up, then I'd delete it - not many people would have seen it anyway.
I do sometimes find it irritating when people come back in afterwards to change their wording or alter comments. It can change the whole tone of what they are saying and if you have followed on with a comment it makes yours seem more out of kilter. That has happened to me a few times on here. I do like having the edit feature on comments though - it stops you having to place later comments as later thoughts occur.

P.S.
On the subject of editing, I would so love it if I could go back and edit a comment without having to repunctuate the whole page. I am starting to leave errors in cos I can't be bothered sorting all the line structure and spacing out again.

Indeed...I have long been puzzled by why the edit facility requires you to default to an unpunctuated version of your earlier post.

I enquired, mostly, because my latest blog poem is obviously rubbish....and I sort of don't want it on my 'record' to defile my previously unimpeachable record of quiet brilliance : ) Give or take a poem or two...which, when you've only posted four...is alot.

I'm tempted to delete it entirely...but then again, it had one good line. Now I want to write the whole thing again...but I don't want to plagiarise myself.
Gaaaargh!

Jxxx

yes, the automatic reformatting thing on editing is anoying. Win.

John. delete it, re write and if it improves repost. maybe? Win

I liked it! But you are the poet here. It's up to you - but don't be a dismal doggy! Write another one!xx

You must be a perfectionist John. It's great if one is capable of writing a perfect poem every time - most of us aren't though - but like sharing nonetheless. For me there is something nice about sharing thoughts and experiences with friends - not that I am suggesting your latest was based on your own experience of course ;) x

Is there such a thing: a perfect poem?

Well, it was a 'general question' but, yes, it was spurred by my dissatisfaction with my last poem. It's my first for 8 months and somehow it wasn't what I'd hoped but I felt I ought to post something.

I have long felt the need to be able to write a non pornographic and subtle poem that captured something of the act of love above and beyond the sticky old pumping and squeezing hoo ha that some folk seem to think is poetry....but I felt that I had failed. It seems odd to post something that you know doesn't satisfy yourself.

I think that there are such things as 'perfect poems'....ones where you wouldn't change a single word. I just haven't ever written one. I gues the question was 'should we leave our flawed gems out there forever, or retrieve them and hide them away?

Still not sure.

:)

Jxxx

I know where you are coming from on that one John ; It seems that as soon as you start trying to write about the nicer aspects of sex, you devalue it. Maybe you should just accept that it isn't your genre? Not that I didn't enjoy your recent poem - but you have to please yourself also...
I loved your Under the Wire poem but like Julian says, there is no such thing as a perfect poem. A poem either does it for you or it doesn't and everyone will have a different opinion of it.

You filth poppet!

: )

Ah well, as the Spanish say...'innuendo, out the other'.

: ) : ) : )

I think I'll just nip off and please myself now.

: )

Jx

Well John - everyone is in adequate in one department or another...If you only have problems writing about it, I think you are lucky ;)

A thought just ocurred to me - I don't think anyone has ever raised a discussion thread on the difficulty of expressing themselves non pornograhically...

I knew there had to be a good reason for you coming back on the scene... you brighten my day!

Pornography ??

Pornography is a very worried and easy victim of a word or description. The sticky goo and huff puff is magic, is love, is sex is wonderful is possibly passion but it isn’t pornography.

Gentleness, sweetness, the soul deep and glistening within sparkling eyes, tender light embraces all still love all still passion.

Pornography is gratuitous, devoid of plot, tits and bums for the lost and the lonely and to that end serves a purpose. Then I suppose so does the Daily Mirror and Reality TV. which is pornography for the undersexed and under forties.

Perversion now that is a very different matter and can take, whilst oft described as evil, an intellectual and inventive stance. The references are endless and the subject fascinating but it is not pornography.

By the way John nice to see you back huffing and puffing via the WOL discussion boards, oh before I forget...how is your bum these days … much better I hope.

I guess I was going for a hint of the erotic corroded by guilt. I've read lots of poems that celebrate the sexual fabulously well...but I can never seem capture it myself, without resorting to cliche, and I hate cliches, they have no place in poetry. The whole idea of poetry, for me, is to capture something in a new way.

'Make it new' (Ezra Pound)

I will one day!

: )

Jxx