Dress-Up

[vagantes]

Some wry smiles.

You would have to wonder about someone who referred to a writer's work as horrible, coupled with an injunction not to post.

I have noticed on here a need to preach and control, which is interesting as a reflection of an attitude that seems at odds with the ethos of a literature forum. It implies restriction somehow rather than acceptance of difference.

Is this a generation thing? Have we suddenly produced a flock of bad mannered pedants who try to conceal lack of education?

Or is it simply a product of creative writing schools?

Or perhaps it is geographical?

Whatever it is, it grates somewhat and could not be considered helpful or even informative.

Try to read the poem as a whole.

What does the title mean? Who is dressing up? Why is someone dressing up? What is dressing up?

What gender is the narrator?

These poems are written because they present themselves to me as puzzles, which need to be resolved. One way to do this is to present them for comment.

They are also meant to provide pleasure.

[MorpheusSandman]

vagantes, earning critical respect and effort takes time. You can't just appear on a free message board and expect to be treated with the time and effort of a Shakespeare or a Yeats. They're poets who spent a lifetime (indeed, many generations) establishing their greatness by creating drama and poetry that affected people enough to make them care to give them in-depth critical attention. Thus far, your work has not affected me enough to make me care enough to dedicate my fullest critical capabilities to it; it's that simple. It's not as if I'm dismissing it, either. I find it ironic that you think we're out to "preach and control," when you have repeatedly insulted me and others on the General Literature forum. You need to learn how to disagree respectfully with others without calling them "bad readers" or labeling them as one thing or another. That's hardly the way to inspire people to respect your poetry.

But, hey, it's up to you. Right now you're actively engendering a lot of hostility from long-time members. If you keep this up, at best you'll be ignored, at worst you'll be banned. It's up to you.

[hallaig]

Vagantes, if you can't take criticism, don't post your horrible poems. It's as simple as that.

Don't think you need to be so exercised. Vagantes' self-regarding justifications are much more entertaining than his/her poetry. After reading one, I'm nearly always left with the phrase 'so what?' hanging in the air.

[vagantes]

That "so what" seems to be taking up a lot of space.

"Fullest critical capabilities" - what ho.

Rich and ripe are becoming more bountiful at every enjoyable moment.

[MorpheusSandman]

If I wanted to I could pick apart your poems like a mortician. I've read Vendler enough to know how parse every nook and crevice of a piece until all of its secrets are lying bare-assed naked on a table at my mercy like the gimp of a dominatrix. You do not want me to pull out my whip.

[vagantes]

My golly gosh.

Is that we have come to- veiled threats and childish boasting.

It's a poem, not a declaration of war.

You are demeaning yourself.

[MorpheusSandman]

Is that we have come to- veiled threats and childish boasting.

It's a metaphoric joke. But as the person who trumpets respecting authorial intent, I can see how your excellent reading skills instantly comprehended that. Well done.

[vagantes]

My, my and now we have irony.

[MorpheusSandman]

[vagantes]

I was thinking of saying one thing while you mean another.

You seem to be using sarcasm, which is intended to hurt or insult.

[MorpheusSandman]

Sarcasm is a form of irony, btw.

[vagantes]

Irony achieves its effect by using understatement, concealment and allusion rather than by direct statement.

Sarcasm is an ironical statement designed to hurt and insult.

Irony demonstrates that the user is aware of the value of opposite and complementary views, whereas sarcasm assumes that value is is placed in the person who employs it.

[Logos]

To ALL and ANY concerned..

Learn to ignore people you're irritated by.

Continuing dramatics, bickering, and arguments throughout the fora will get you a TIME OUT.