# Has this site turned into a poetry gymkhana



## qwertyman (Apr 27, 2018)

Well has it?

Yawn....


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## andrewclunn (Apr 27, 2018)

It's national poetry month.  April is an outlier.


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## qwertyman (Apr 27, 2018)

What Nation? April who? What is an outlier?


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## sas (Apr 27, 2018)

I love poetry, but find April is like over eating dessert every single day. I long for a real main meal. Is it over yet?


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## midnightpoet (Apr 27, 2018)

sas said:


> I love poetry, but find April is like over eating dessert every single day. I long for a real main meal. Is it over yet?



I agree; I find it frankly overwhelming and lost interest pretty quickly.  I've found a lot of comments here the "wow" "great poem" stuff, which I can't believe helps the poet  much.  Large manufacturers have addressed the problem of quality versus quantity by machines and automation.   Poets aren't machines or automatons, there must be a better way to celebrate the month.


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## sas (Apr 28, 2018)

I spend the month sans poetry. I think if a writer of novels, etc, looked at this site in April they wouldn’t join. They’d think it might be over whelmingly poets. And, who reads that? LOL.


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## Kevin (Apr 28, 2018)

A poetic gymkata? Some visitors might feel threatened, or even persecuted:
https://youtu.be/kG3tOshoNFo


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## JustRob (Apr 28, 2018)

There is a world poetry _day_ that was first declared by UNESCO in 1999. There are also other national poetry _days_ in various countries but why any nation would take a month over it I don't know. Blame it on the pony express.

Even I can cope with a national poetry _day_. See HERE


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## sas (Apr 28, 2018)

Kevin said:


> A poetic gymkata? Some visitors might feel threatened, or even persecuted:
> https://youtu.be/kG3tOshoNFo



Geez, it looked like a hospital!


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## qwertyman (May 1, 2018)

Just to test the general level of competency I lucky-dipped a few
Naprowhatevers.

Sheeesh!

I propose an international poet's lemming day.

Any volunteer marshals sign below:

qwertyman


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## JustRob (May 1, 2018)

qwertyman said:


> Just to test the general level of competency I lucky-dipped a few
> Naprowhatevers.
> 
> Sheeesh!
> ...



Competency? I'm with you on the poetry aspect but must question your use of the apostrophe there. I may simply have misunderstood, but could you explain it? Which particular international poet owns a lemming farm? Let's not let the prose writers' side down man. If I'm wrong then I owe you an apostrophe, er ... apology I mean.


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## ned (May 1, 2018)

hello - as a NaPoWriMoster, I reckon you are looking at it the wrong way. 

Primarily, the contest is for the benefit of the participants - to test their creativity, put to use those scribbled notes at the back of the drawer, and for the sense of achievement at the end.

Other than idle chit-chat, the contest is confined to it's own forum, with no compulsion for anyone to visit. Sure, the quality is bound to suffer, but if a poet comes through it having written say, 10 decent poems that might need more work, then that is fine - probably 9 more than normal.

What really irks I imagine, is the paucity and stagnation of the poetry threads during the participants absence - bless...


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## sas (May 1, 2018)

It’s May First! 
I declare NaNoPro Writers Month. Ha. “No” for novels and such (or, “no” for no). Fill er up with opening paragraphs. I promise to read every 10th one, in the interest of fairness.  No reason not to numb May.


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## Firemajic (May 1, 2018)

It is a challenge for the benefit of the POET... That's all... To challenge the POET'S creativity... this is a very common practice... I am 20 days into a 60 day challenge to do a sketch every day, limited time is spent on the sketch... it is a challenge... it forces one to not over think... just DO IT.... Really any challenge pits you against YOURSELF. So, what the hell is wrong with THAT....


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## Thaumiel (May 1, 2018)

sas said:


> I spend the month sans poetry. *I think if a writer of novels, etc, looked at this site in April they wouldn’t join*. They’d think it might be over whelmingly poets. And, who reads that? LOL.




Since the majority of the posts are in the NaPo Workshop, they wouldn't notice until they'd already joined...


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## sas (May 1, 2018)

Each morning, so I do not miss posts that might interest me, I hit “What’s New” and scroll through new posts.  On and on in April through poetry, poetry, poetry. I assume new members do that, too. Wrong?


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## Thaumiel (May 1, 2018)

sas said:


> Each morning, so I do not miss posts that might interest me, I hit “What’s New” and scroll through new posts.  On and on in April through poetry, poetry, poetry. I assume new members do that, too. Wrong?



I'm not saying it wouldn't affect them after they've actually joined. For a whole month of one thing it would be a bit off putting yes, but the same could be said on any normal day if someone joins and they just see writing discussion not relevant to them or constant lounge posts.

The problem would be more easily fixed by making a better activity feed where people can customise it so they can see what's relevant to them or having NaPo as an opt-in addition to the standard feed, instead of complaining about the event.


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## Firemajic (May 1, 2018)

qwertyman said:


> Just to test the general level of competency I lucky-dipped a few
> Naprowhatevers.
> 
> Sheeesh!
> ...



Sheeeesh.... No one is forcing YOU to participate, read or comment... are they??? sheeesh...


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## JustRob (May 1, 2018)

The problem is that this activity swamps the "What's new" thread and the only remedy for prose readers and writers is individually to go through the gymnastics of applying filters to it to ignore the relevant poetry forums. Hence we are faced with either those gymnastics or the poetry gymkhana, but we have no option to ignore it by default. As a staff member it would be unfair to prose writers for me to take a month's leave during the gymkhana, but given the option I would. My angel, a resident _prose_ beta reader, has complained that there is no significant content in WF at present from her POV. If she interprets this as a trend then she may lose interest in WF altogether, again to the disadvantage of prose writers. Hence one cannot claim that this activity is entirely harmless. I wonder how much overlap there is between poetry and prose writers and readers in WF and why the default assumption is that we all fall into both camps. Many new members mention in their introductory posts which side of the boundary their interests lie and few admit to having an equal interest in both to my recollection.

If there were a whole month during which many of the prose writers posted their day's output every day regardless of its immediate quality then I suspect that the poets would soon tire of it. So, could _Daily Flash Fiction Month_ be the new big event on WF? If that is inconceivable then how can this site honestly claim to be _Writing_ Forums?

P.S.
I just searched for the definition of flash fiction, but a precise word length for such works doesn't exist. However, I did discover in a list of requisite skills for writing it the item "The verbal efficiency of a poet". There we are then, but I always knew that and my poetry, when it occasionally appears, is often briefer and more efficient than that of others. I can't imagine why they thought that that was specifically a natural characteristic of poets rather than prose writers then.


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## Thaumiel (May 1, 2018)

JustRob said:


> *The problem is that this activity swamps the "What's new" thread and the only remedy for prose readers and writers is individually to go through the gymnastics of applying filters to it to ignore the relevant poetry forums. *Hence we are faced with either those gymnastics or the poetry gymkhana, but we have no option to ignore it by default. As a staff member it would be unfair to prose writers for me to take a month's leave during the gymkhana, but given the option I would. My angel, a resident _prose_ beta reader, has complained that there is no significant content in WF at present from her POV. If she interprets this as a trend then she may lose interest in WF altogether, again to the disadvantage of prose writers. Hence one cannot claim that this activity is entirely harmless. I wonder how much overlap there is between poetry and prose writers and readers in WF and why the default assumption is that we all fall into both camps. Many new members mention in their introductory posts which side of the boundary their interests lie and few admit to having an equal interest in both.
> 
> If there were a whole month during which many of the prose writers posted their day's output every day regardless of its immediate quality then I suspect that the poets would soon tire of it. So, could _Daily Flash Fiction Month_ be the new big event on WF? If that is inconceivable then how can this site honestly claim to be _Writing_ Forums?



Unless it becomes an opt-in service, like the red light room, then only the people who were participating or interested in receiving the notifications would actually have to do something.


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## qwertyman (May 1, 2018)

JustRob said:


> ... must question your use of the apostrophe there. I may simply have misunderstood, but could you explain it? Which particular international poet owns a lemming farm? Let's not let the prose writers' side down man.



Poet is the collective noun for poet, as sheep in the collective noun for sheep (snigger).  

Shhhesh Rob, keep up will ya?





James 剣 斧 血 said:


> Since the majority of the posts are in the NaPo Workshop, they wouldn't notice until they'd already joined...



You mean there are more than those listed on 'New Posts'?​


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## Firemajic (May 1, 2018)

Here is a wild and craaazzzy idea, go to your PROFILE page, and see what is going on with your contacts and what they have posted... that way, you can avoid the horror of having to use that teeny tiny little arrow that quickly scrolls the activity stream page down...


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## Firemajic (May 1, 2018)

qwertyman said:


> Poet is the collective noun for poet, as sheep in the collective noun for sheep (snigger).



Such rude comments.... really... I DARE you to enter the poetry challenge...


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## JustRob (May 1, 2018)

James 剣 斧 血 said:


> Unless it becomes an opt-in service, like the red light room, then only the people who were participating or interested in receiving the notifications would actually have to do something.



Maybe all the various disciplines represented in WF should be opt-ins with members specifying their preferences centrally in their profiles. This whole subject of which people get to view which forums probably needs a review as I recently questioned how much of the forums should be open to public view as well. 

My angel and I do not comprehend the poetry forums as this is said to be a site dedicated to the English language, but the prevalent poetry here often has very little to do with traditional English styles of poetry in our aged eyes. The formats often seem to originate from foreign concepts of what poetry is and putting English words into these formats hardly counts as English poetry from our POV. We are traditionally English but WF doesn't appear to have any focus on traditional English styles of poetry, so we ignore that side of it altogether. It just isn't worth our while spending the time gleaning out the odd traditional poem from the rest. Much of what is claimed to be poetry here just strikes us as ill-formed prose, just as Chinese musical scales do in musical terms to our western ears. In both cases there is just too much discord.

In the prose forums writers are told what the acceptable word count for a novel is, as though the length of a good story is any more predefinable than the length of a scenic river. It is a mystery to me how a poet can apparently claim that anything that they write is a poem while prose writers are exposed to this type of nonsense. If there is an old school who still believe that real novels are printed on paper and bound into books on the whims of publishers and have to be a certain length to keep them happy, then there can certainly be those of us who hold to equally old-fashioned ideas about what good English poetry is. No doubt that is where Qwertyman's original reaction came from.


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## andrewclunn (May 1, 2018)

So then would there be levels?

- Public facing (poetry hill and other beginner areas and general stuff)
- Login required (contests, workshop areas, certain administrative announcements)
- Opt in sections (poetry month, red light room, other special interest areas)
- Invite only areas (what?  These don't exist... what are you talking about?)


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## JustRob (May 1, 2018)

qwertyman said:


> Poet is the collective noun for poet, as sheep in the collective noun for sheep (snigger).
> 
> Shhhesh Rob, keep up will ya?



It's difficult when I'm busy writing my own BS for this thread.



Firemajic said:


> Such rude comments.... really... I DARE you to enter the poetry challenge...



A long while ago I did enter a poetry competition here and, if I recollect correctly, was beaten into third place by two poetry mentors, which hardly seemed fair. Not wanting to become superior to the poetry mentors within their chosen domain I gave up that type of activity. It has been suggested that staff be excluded from _all_ competitions, but I am just the mentor for beta reading now and I doubt that there will be any competitions where performing that role would imply that I had an unfair advantage over _any_ writers. Dares should only be employed where there is a level playing field. Have you beta read Qwertyman's novels and would you accept a similar dare within his chosen domain? 

We all have our merits within our own domains, but some don't so much as others.


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## Firemajic (May 1, 2018)

JustRob said:


> We are traditionally English but
> WF doesn't appear to have any focus on traditional English styles of poetry
> 
> 
> ...




Interesting....  THAT attitude is very.... interesting.... if you want to read some wonderful poems from the Masters, you should check out my thread in published poetry... there, I post some of the best poems from the great Poets of that era...

Look... no one posting poems in the NaPoWriMo [ and that is what the OP is about} is trying to be Poe, Frost, Shelly or any of those Master Poets... No on claimed they were master poets... we were CHALLENGING OURSELVES to be CREATIVE for 30 days... we were participating in an event that happens EVERY year... we have that right, because WF said we could. Anyone who does not want to participate does not have to do so... I RESPECT YOUR right to NOT participate. Please RESPECT MY right to participate.  I have not opened a thread poking fun at those who did not participate. I think it is beyond rude to belittle poets and our style of poetry, because we PARTICIPATE in the NaPoWriMo... Poking fun at others is NOT cool, and should be beneath any member of WF... SHEEESH!!!!


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## andrewclunn (May 1, 2018)

Isn't November a month for attempting to just cram out a novel?  Don't most of those "novels" go either incomplete or are glaringly flawed first drafts?  Isn't the point however to use the artificial constraint to force one's self to get that first draft out?  This very much strikes me as being in the same vein as national poetry month.


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## Firemajic (May 1, 2018)

JustRob said:


> It's difficult when I'm busy writing my own BS for this thread.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I respect your POV... To answer your question about beta reading Qwertyman's novel... no, I have not... but I did not create a thread trashing his efforts and making snide, disrespectful comments.


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## Firemajic (May 1, 2018)

JustRob said:


> . It is a mystery to me how a poet can apparently claim that anything that they write is a poem while prose writers are exposed to this type of nonsense. If there is an old school who still believe that real novels are printed on paper and bound into books on the whims of publishers and have to be a certain length to keep them happy,
> 
> then there can certainly be those of us who hold to equally old-fashioned ideas about what good English poetry is. No doubt that is where Qwertyman's original reaction came from.




Poetry is a reflection of the time we are live in... The world we LIVE in and the events we experience... 

Writing, painting, sculpture, singing, dancing.. are ALL forms of expression... some just do it different...some people actually have the balls to try something new....


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## PiP (May 1, 2018)

*Enough of the snarky remarks directed at a group of members who have worked extremely hard to complete NaPo. I am appalled by this behaviour!*


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## Neetu (May 1, 2018)

I did not participate in NaPo, nor did I visit the feed that kept appearing on my page because I follow the poets, but it doesn't bother me that others did. It was a challenge to force oneself to write a poem every day for 30 days and kudos to those who did. Those who write prose can challenge themselves to write a novel or story or chapter every day during their month of novel writing. Poets won't complain, I am sure. When you write every day for a month because everyone around the country or the world is doing so, you can't expect to write a masterpiece. Sometimes, a masterpiece may emerge, but mostly, folks are just having a good, creative time.


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## Darren White (May 1, 2018)

Thanks Pip.


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## Chesters Daughter (May 1, 2018)

After reading this thread there's so much I can address but won't for fear of losing my cool. Just like writers of prose, poets are writers, not some exotic breed to be cordoned off and poked at. To belittle the efforts of those who participated in NapoWriMo is disgusting. As Firemajic said, no one is forced into reading any of it. Those who do not like or understand poetry have never had it shoved down their throats here at WF. NaPoWriMo is universally accepted and serves as an exercise for poets to hone their skills, with emphasis on hone, if you please. It is not an easy feat to create something out of nothing every day for a month, and those who endeavor to do so should be applauded and not vilified because every effort is not a masterpiece. The activity stream reveals the hard work of many, if having to scroll through "all of that stuff" was so distressing that it warranted complaints then something is very wrong here. Poetry or prose, we are all writers and share a common bond. The time spent here discouraging certain members of the forum would have been much better spent actually writing something creative. 

One point I must individually address is the thought that mentors and other staff should not be allowed to enter, and somehow dominate, challenges. Mentors are mentors because they earned that right through hard work and honing their skills thereby making them well suited to guide others. Why should they, or any other members of staff, be denied participation? If members of staff win anything, it is not because they are staff but because they know their stuff which is the reason they were invited to become staff in the first place. Never forget that staff are members, also.

 I am going to shut up now because the more I write, the more ornery I become. Members should never mock the efforts of other members, and calling out an entire group because of their chosen method of writing is almost unforgivable. We are here to encourage one another. This thread most certainly did not do that, and like PiP, I am appalled.


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## Phil Istine (May 1, 2018)

PiP said:


> *Enough of the snarky remarks directed at a group of members who have worked extremely hard to complete NaPo. I am appalled by this behaviour!*



Agreed, but I won't take it personally.  I'll write a poem about it later.


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## Darren White (May 1, 2018)

Fire, PiP and Chester's Daughter, thank you for so eloquently voicing what I wished to have said. I didn't because I was afraid to lose my cool and I didn't want that 
So, thank you again.


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## ned (May 1, 2018)

The best bit of NaPro was that it was great fun to do-

writing the poems, getting support, reading others and giving encouragement - all in it together...
even on those blank days....

the most positive and active thread I've been involved in.

so thank you to those who left me kind words and likes/lols/kisses.

and thanks to Darren for organising a fab contest.


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## JustRob (May 2, 2018)

Firemajic said:


> I RESPECT YOUR right to NOT participate. Please RESPECT MY right to participate.  I have not opened a thread poking fun at those who did not participate. I think it is beyond rude to belittle poets and our style of poetry, because we PARTICIPATE in the NaPoWriMo... Poking fun at others is NOT cool, and should be beneath any member of WF... SHEEESH!!!!



Are you directing your remarks at the originator of this thread or myself? I responded to this thread because I accept that every member has the right to express their own opinion on any subject and in this case I happened to be supportive. Perhaps you feel that the comments here are inappropriate critique and possibly expressed too strongly, but critique is the essence of this site and sometimes it is more generalised in its form. We are not in conflict here, but simply ensuring that the interests of _all_ our members are taken into consideration. The Lounge just happens to be a forum where all members interact and therefore there is always the possibility that differences may arise, but it is a room with many corners and what happens here does not affect the mainstream activities in the categorised forums. 

Had this discussion taken place within a poetry forum then I would have agreed with you that it was an unwarranted intrusion, but it didn't. The fact that it happened in a shared space, The Lounge, is entirely compatible with the fact that NaPoWriMo intrudes to a much greater extent in the shared space that is "What's New?". Personally I seldom intrude on discussions in the poetry forums because I am aware that my understanding and views are incompatible with the activities there and I have little doubt that the originator of this thread behaves similarly. My suggestion about a month of daily flash fiction was a logical extension of NaPoWriMo and would genuinely be an interesting challenge for prose writers. _That_ would be closer to a dare presented on a level playing field than daring a prose writer to attempt a poetry challenge, so I was being constructive.

The critical remark that appears to have precipitated your objections was simply a jocular response within the context of a discussion between prose writers on the correct use of the apostrophe and it was specifically directed at me. I didn't feel that it warranted a strong reaction, so disregarded it. You evidently disagree. This just illustrates the fact that WF welcomes a wide variety of members with different interests and opinions, which is exactly as it should be. So, all's well, isn't it?


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## H.Brown (May 2, 2018)

Hi Rob while I like the idea of a month of flash fiction, remember that in Novemeber the prose members will get their own chance when NaNoWriMo hits, where any member can attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in a month, posting it chapter by chapter if they need to, to keep themselves on track. This will also allow the prose member sto get critique on thiier writing and for other participants to offer encouragement as we each try to complete the challenge, much as the poets have done this month.



JustRob said:


> Are you directing your remarks at the originator of this thread or myself? I responded to this thread because I accept that every member has the right to express their own opinion on any subject and in this case I happened to be supportive. Perhaps you feel that the comments here are inappropriate critique and possibly expressed too strongly, but critique is the essence of this site and sometimes it is more generalised in its form. We are not in conflict here, but simply ensuring that the interests of _all_ our members are taken into consideration. The Lounge just happens to be a forum where all members interact and therefore there is always the possibility that differences may arise, but it is a room with many corners and what happens here does not affect the mainstream activities in the categorised forums.
> 
> Had this discussion taken place within a poetry forum then I would have agreed with you that it was an unwarranted intrusion, but it didn't. The fact that it happened in a shared space, The Lounge, is entirely compatible with the fact that NaPoWriMo intrudes to a much greater extent in the shared space that is "What's New?". Personally I seldom intrude on discussions in the poetry forums because I am aware that my understanding and views are incompatible with the activities there and I have little doubt that the originator of this thread behaves similarly. My suggestion about a month of daily flash fiction was a logical extension of NaPoWriMo and would genuinely be an interesting challenge for prose writers. _That_ would be closer to a dare presented on a level playing field than daring a prose writer to attempt a poetry challenge, so I was being constructive.
> 
> The critical remark that appears to have precipitated your objections was simply a jocular response within the context of a discussion between prose writers on the correct use of the apostrophe and it was specifically directed at me. I didn't feel that it warranted a strong reaction, so disregarded it. You evidently disagree. This just illustrates the fact that WF welcomes a wide variety of members with different interests and opinions, which is exactly as it should be. So, all's well, isn't it?


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## Firemajic (May 2, 2018)

JustRob said:


> Are you directing your remarks at the originator of this thread or myself? I responded to this thread because I accept that every member has the right to express their own opinion on any subject and in this case I happened to be supportive. Perhaps you feel that the comments here are inappropriate critique and possibly expressed too strongly, but critique is the essence of this site and sometimes it is more generalised in its form. We are not in conflict here, but simply ensuring that the interests of _all_ our members are taken into consideration. The Lounge just happens to be a forum where all members interact and therefore there is always the possibility that differences may arise, but it is a room with many corners and what happens here does not affect the mainstream activities in the categorised forums.
> 
> I have no problem with members voicing their opinion, if expressed with RESPECT... It was not WHAT was said... but HOW it was said.
> 
> ...




All is well...


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## Firemajic (May 2, 2018)

qwertyman said:


> Just to test the general level of competency I lucky-dipped a few
> Naprowhatevers.
> 
> Sheeesh!
> ...





Firemajic said:


> Interesting....  THAT attitude is very.... interesting.... if you want to read some wonderful poems from the Masters, you should check out my thread in published poetry... there, I post some of the best poems from the great Poets of that era...
> 
> Look... no one posting poems in the NaPoWriMo [ and that is what the OP is about} is trying to be Poe, Frost, Shelly or any of those Master Poets... No on claimed they were master poets... we were CHALLENGING OURSELVES to be CREATIVE for 30 days... we were participating in an event that happens EVERY year... we have that right, because WF said we could. Anyone who does not want to participate does not have to do so... I RESPECT YOUR right to NOT participate. Please RESPECT MY right to participate.  I have not opened a thread poking fun at those who did not participate. I think it is beyond rude to belittle poets and our style of poetry, because we PARTICIPATE in the NaPoWriMo... Poking fun at others is NOT cool, and should be beneath any member of WF... SHEEESH!!!!


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## Firemajic (May 2, 2018)

PiP said:


> *Enough of the snarky remarks directed at a group of members who have worked extremely hard to complete NaPo. I am appalled by this behaviour!*





Because I RESPECT PiP.. I decline any more comments.


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## Kevin (May 2, 2018)

'Jocular' - jocular, jocular, monocular, binocular, hmmm. Have to write that one down. Brilliant use of the word jocular. I must- mmm-  concur. Well said. Thick skin, Boys, erm - Girls. *Ahem*, yes.


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## Neetu (May 3, 2018)

Maybe we could create a jocular gymkhana, and introduce words that inspire,intrigue, make us laugh or cry? I think it would be a lot of fun to everyone - poets and prose writers equally! We would ask everyone (who wishes to participate) to form sentences using the words. It would do good to lighten and brighten spirits around here. A bit of jocundity won't hurt. layful:


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## Kevin (May 3, 2018)

Neetu said:


> Maybe we could create a jocular gymkhana, and introduce words that inspire,intrigue, make us laugh or cry? I think it would be a lot of fun to everyone - poets and prose writers equally! We would ask everyone (who wishes to participate) to form sentences using the words. It would do good to lighten and brighten spirits around here. A bit of jocundity won't hurt. layful:


Sounds like a good idea, but... 
judging by some of the responses (or lack thereof), perhaps to most of the respondents here ( and those that merely lurked, but didn't reply) the idea of jocularity unfortunately is rather frowned upon. There are those (many) who tend to be your technical ( or non- technical) prose-writer types ( and some poets) who insist upon a well defined, traditional structure as is related to written language, oft times lacking even the ability to comprehend that which does not absolutely consist of such structures which provide each and every word of description in a precise. standardized  form, without any of the 'leaving out of', or creative, non-traditional usages of grammatical or conceptual connections  (words), those type of readers/writers being unable or very limited in their ability to form those connections on their own (basically they need it all spelled out)(...which of course ruins the 'jocularity', by explaining it), 

 So, the popularity or success of such a thread, at this point will be affected ( adversely. in my opinion). 

This is neither a good or a bad thing per se, but is definitely a limiting factor...and we can all definetly agree that being limited is not 'better' when (as) compared to being expanded.

We could, however, make it compulsory, participation that is, with stiff penalties for non-participation. 
Yes, I think that is what is needed in order to help the limited to get  past those limitations in comprehension/ understanding- their 'mental boundaries' as it were. This may sound rather harsh, but what I mean by this is that we could help them to 'get it' (to get things) through conditioning (reward or the stick), and frankly I think they would be better for it. Perhaps even, it is our duty? Sort of like, well...for the betterment of humankind. 

So that's what we should do: Help them. I would be willing to sacrifice, and hold the stick, at least for s week or two, Unless someone else wants to. 
Pip?


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## Thaumiel (May 3, 2018)

I don't really care. I mean I told everyone to ignore me and shat out 20 poems on the last day, I know they're drivel. That said, there are people that actually did put the effort in and tried to write something good, maybe even have it ready to edit later on. 

It's fine to have problems with event itself, or the way it's handled on the forum, but taking shots like "Just to test the general level of competency I lucky-dipped a few Naprowhatevers. Sheeesh!" is clearly just intended to annoy people. What sort of a response did you expect?


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## -xXx- (May 3, 2018)

i would like to see a napowrimo index forum,
a single poet thread in napowrimo public view
and/or a single poet thread in workshop which
contains the "poetry content".

critique/comment could be posted to the index thread,
with reference to the number or title of the public/workshop
post.

napowrimo is many things to many people.
this year it was a personal declaration not to
surrender my personal value for written expression
to ever increasing external demands for time, energy
and attention.

squeezing 30 days of a minimum 17 syllable commitment
to myself is not about increasing views, comments, likes, etc.
i apologize to anyone feeling spammed by my participation.

the model of method of levels/perception control theory
as expressed by william t powers is of particular interest
to me during 2018 napowrimo.
emergence, sublimation of emotion through the creative
and debunking behavior changes belief are personally 
applicable to the "ritual" of napo2018.

i posted a napo springboard index to my blog to
locate threads efficiently in hopes i would be able to
use limited discretionary time to post and
read works more quickly.

may will now become my personal read month.
there will be un(der)developed works posted by others
that, as a reader, i will want to acknowledge to
that poet.
hopefully topics in my napo and suggested by others
will result in "fleshing out/polishing" some quickly
posted heuristic-node-traverse impression-expressions.

k.
nothing to see here.
as you were, please.

_*passionately supports napo-like processes for*
*flash fiction, blinks, twitfic*
*and other shortforms*_


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## Firemajic (May 3, 2018)

Kevin said:


> Sounds like a good idea, but...
> judging by some of the responses (or lack thereof), perhaps to most of the respondents here ( and those that merely lurked, but didn't reply)**** the idea of jocularity unfortunately is rather frowned upon***. ?



sorry, Pip... I forgot your request, please excuse my faux pas...


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## bdcharles (May 3, 2018)

Neetu said:


> Maybe we could create a jocular gymkhana, and introduce words that inspire,intrigue, make us laugh or cry? I think it would be a lot of fun to everyone - poets and prose writers equally! We would ask everyone (who wishes to participate) to form sentences using the words. It would do good to lighten and brighten spirits around here. A bit of jocundity won't hurt. layful:






~ * ~

As ideas go, this can't be beat
But the funniest word I know
Is bound to spark a sudden heat;
  It's "NaNoBuildAHouseMo"!

~ * ~​


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## Kevin (May 3, 2018)

Firemajic said:


> Jocularity: Playful... humorous ...
> 
> Check out the number of LOLs given and received under the members avatar.... sooo, I don't believe ANYONE is opposed to joking and having fun.. However what I am opposed to is laughing """AT""""" someone....at that person's expense. Making them the butt of jokes..... There is a BIG difference... seriously....


 imma butt. I don't mind. You pull my pigtails, Fire, and I'll pull yours. Some are too serious for that. That's all I got to say.


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## Firemajic (May 3, 2018)

Kevin said:


> imma butt. I don't mind. You pull my pigtails, Fire, and I'll pull yours. Some are too serious for that. That's all I got to say.




LMAO... ... see... I DO have a sense of humor... .....


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## scarab (Jun 23, 2018)

What is a poetry gymkhana? 

It sounds surreal.


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## TuesdayEve (Jun 23, 2018)

Good question, I don’t know either.


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## qwertyman (Jun 24, 2018)

You had to be there.


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