Hi John, Glad you appreciated my haiku in the blogs 'On Mondays I fall in Love' You are right of course that they are neither either easy nor are they vacuous if good. for me it is not enough for the poem to be called a haiku, rather it should bea good (Hopefully, lol) poem first and foremost. I have resisted the nonesence in the discussions area (Although tempted) and instead let my work speak for itself as you have seen. Thank you Winston

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I have never written a Dear John letter but here goes

,Dear John,

Please be aware that this is a POEM please except that as read and written.

I understand from previous posts and comments that you have just completed your 2nd poem, and are coming hard and fast on the rails to catch up to your third not withstanding that you have undertaken an OU course on Poetry no less where they advise you to omit adjectives and avoid purple patches. Sounds good to me,

Good luck with your third.

Once again many thanks for your comments.

Augusta x

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Hi John Thx for the heads up on 'Final Inspection' as you say it still is a good poem, and as valid today as when it was first written, but this site is about reviewing new work, so I have removed it. Cheers TC

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Hello John,

Firstly please let me begin by reiterating a comment made by Isobel which alluded to drivel that is posted on this site, she is so right, much of what I read on this site in both poetry and discussion amounts to exactly that – drivel.

There are indeed many poets on this site that are worthwhile and excellent wordsmiths there are fewer with a unique and rare talent to conjure words to an almost unbelievable level of wonderment, and it may well surprise you that I for one am confident to include myself among that number. In the event that you choose to disagree then read my poetry thus far posted and if you are not convinced then read it again.

.Fear and anxiety, arousal and guilt are repetitious it sweeps through a woman in waves so much so that it makes you giddy and sick, if you noticed the repetition in my poem then I am happy that at least you read it, the fact that you failed to understand is sad. As to my being tendentious, well I saddened, for I would count myself as being a woman of open , nay, wide open views and liberation and was endeavouring, albeit in a graphic sense to portray the horror which most woman experience at sometime in their lives in one form or another.. You also describe my poem as gauche; well this form of voyeuristic commentary might well lack slick rhyme and sophistication, once again it was intended.

I am pleased you did not included in your plethora of adjectives heaped upon me ‘gratuitous’…because then I may well have been annoyed with you , the poem highlights fear, danger, and the predicament and the frustration of weakness together with the inability to take control of a possible life changing moment.

Your comments alluding to crap and Jesus I find offensive.

Augusta X

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Thanks John, for your comments about 'Confetti' & 'Solace'. Yes, I think you're probably right about a lot of people on here mourning lost love, and, like me, many of them are wearing rose tinted glasses. Thanks for reading.
Cx

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Thank you for the comment on 'Forever Eve.'
Glad you enjoyed it.

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Hi John, thank you for commenting upon 'After', it was actually my entry for one of those challenges to write a poem including a phrase (After the love), which struck a chord with my muse :)

I found reading your 'Grandmothers Gentleman Caller' rather charming - nicely balanced with that touch of humour!

Best wishes

Dave

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thanks very much for your input John. I have settled on 'tumescent' its several meanings work for me in that context.

thanks again

John

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Hello John, thanks for taking the time to comment on my poem 'letter to a genius'. It was a bit of an experiment for me. If you look at my other stuff most of it is fairly transparent. It was primarily the sound of the words I was after and hopefully it works on that level. 'Copulant' is not actually a recognised word, unless I have just invented it! Now considering whether I will replace it although I rarely revise anything once its's finished. I haven't had time to look at your stuff properly yet, I only have access at work, hence this early message before the boss gets in!

cheers
John

PS I was born in St Albans although I have been in the north most of my life, my brother still lives there

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'Dear John' ( I love that - reminds me of that programme of the agony uncle).

Thanks for responding, and thank you for the inspiration. I enjoy a little sparring on comments, did think your comment was a little 'philistine' though at the time, none of it was meant to be personal, but the written language can be misinterpreted many times. I didn't think you would take offence as you have been quite vocal on the discussion threads, and at the same time as responding to the comment I had inputted into your poem on the poetry review 'there's a heart somewhere....' ( sorry cut and paste was beyond me there, and I didn't have the time to write it out. I teach English, creative writing and asylum seekers and refugees, not ICT :-) I was quite shocked to be reprimanded for bad language and told I was negative in my comments of your poetry, ( which I haven't been, I gave you praise, for your poem that you put up on the review).

If I ever publish ( one can dream - I will thank you for the inspiration in print ). I've only been writing again since August after a 17 year break, but I can take a little criticism. By the new hoo-ha, I think someone has took my defensive place - I shall watch and read. I am quite impulsive, but I don't think I shall put my oversized size 5 in the big pile of dogpoop ( how ladylike of me) this time.

Great to hear from you. Appreciate your comments. Ps. Did you like the poem?

Take care, nicky :-) x

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Hi john, I hope you did not take offence at my response to your 'philistine' comment, last night. I had understood by your many contributions to the discussion threads that you could handle a little criticism about what you had said ( and not your poetry, as the management of the site has taken this to mean ) if I caused offence I apologise, but it was purely in defence of other users of the site that I thought your comment would offend. However, I have been reprimanded by the management for my straight talking and free speach, oh and for my language - funny, where did I get that word from? lol.

Good luck and take care.

nicky :-)

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Hi John,

thanks for taking the time to read and make comment on my work

steve x

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John, as near as I can figure, the definition of what is poetry is now very broad, and your work so far posted certainly qualifies. You definitely have 'the feel'.

I do think attention to the entire background of poetic skills is essential, the same points which came up in your GCSE courses: a wide vocabulary for selective diction, the varied methods for acquiring vivid imagery and of sound, the colours of mood, and the overall effect of tone. If you don't know where you're going with a poem - stop. Or, if you digress - stop - and go back and find your direction again. Perhaps you need another poem, or six. Don't waffle. It's not fair to your reader.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, look it up. It's really important if you are really sincere.

Alvin's comment is excellent: it follows through with what I think is your intent: exclusivity.

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It is a poem
Here is my attempt at a road sign poem
There's a heart somewhere that's twinned with mine
And on the road there is a sign
'This heart has priority over oncoming vehicles’

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PS. Please please do comment on my poem. Honestly...I need it... I really have no idea whether anything I write has any literary merit whatsoever. The poem did make the recipient cry...but then it would...'cos it's about us...and she will forgive my cack handed metre and maudlin sentimentality and obscure references to stuff only we know about....but...is it a poem?

Jx

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Aah, just beginning to get the hand of this website, which is organised very differently to any I have ever visited before. If I may be forgiven for the observation that it is very idiosyncratic...threads all arse about face...e-
mail alerts all a bit random etc. ( I never got Isobel's). Tell me I wasn't a prick to Chris...I'm sure he's a spoof...or worse.

: )

Thanks for calling...I hope to be able to learn alot from here...and contribute too. I really am an OK guy...well, my family think so. :)

Jx

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I know St Albans well - a very busy place on a Saturday. Welcome to the site. Apparently only poems on profiles are looked at for POM - and not a lot of people know that.... So if you want to be considered on a regular basis, you need to update your profile with fresh stuff every month - putting it into blogs isn't enough. Good luck - I suggest you make your next one on bestiality or necrophilia...

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Troilism? Are you thinking of going for POTM? Welcome aboard, I look forward to reading more of your work John! (and yes, I did have to google what troilism is!)

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