Do you fume over comments / criticisms?

[blazeofglory]

It is natural that criticisms / comments are not always sweetening. But here at times some poets took criticisms personally when I commented upon their poetry. And this drove them to send me even personal messages. It hurt me and since then I never commented upon the person's poetry.

Poetry may mean one thing to the poet polar opposites to some other. And when one goes public one should be strong enough to swallow or put up with both the tastes and distastes of their readers. I may take likings or disliking to a particular poem and if one comments upon a poem, not the poet personally one needs not feel annoyed.
All I infer is it is one's narrow culture or background or conditioning in a particular family setup that implants certain values in their offspring that become manifest in their expressions.

I have been a commenter here for long and I am stating this for the first time in public.

Do not think it is you I am keeping in focus. Even so, I do not disclose the name here for a courtesy reason, never think I am you and I never want to hurt my friends here.

[Paulclem]

It's a tough one, but I think poetry is quite personal, and so criticism should be minimum - unless the person asks for it.

I remember Virgil - I'm sure he won't mind me saying - asking for constructive criticism over one of his poems. He said he wanted to reflect and try to improve on it - or words to that effect. I think that's a very positive thing for a poet to do, but normally poets don't ask.

[Lokasenna]

My own lack of self-confidence means that I always find criticism a little stinging, but I'm self-aware enough to know that it isn't meant personally. They don't make me fume, merely a bit depressed.

Still, you've got to take these things as they come, and learn from any productive criticism.

[Helga]

criticisms is what I expect when I post a poem. I don't just want compliments I also want to know how to improve. I admit that it stings a bit but how else can you learn and improve.

Now I haven't posted poems for a long time but if I start posting my poems again, I want your criticism just as much as your compliments.

[dafydd manton]

I think it depends on who the comments is from, at least in part. As a very inexperienced writer of poetry, if I were to get a comment or suggestion from people such as Hillwalker, Hawkman, Maryd, Jerrybaldy, Delta40, Haunted, Princemyshkin, and some others, I would be grateful, and more than probably make the changes they suggested. There are occasions when those who either can't or don't write poems, make sweeping suggestions based on a personal whim, rather than a manifest experience, and those are not so easy to take. Or those who are dogmatic - humans rarely takes kindly to dogma! Oh, and Blaze, any suggestion you should make, I would, as above, appreciate!

[JuniperWoolf]

I used to, when I was a teenager and thought that I was the best thing since corona with lime. Not so much anymore, especially since I aquired some friends who actually have brains and keep me in check.

[Delta40]

In the context of your question, I expect criticism from fellow lit-netters on my work. I expect it to be scrutinised, praised and bagged even. sometimes I am surprised when poems get little or no feedback since they have a relevance to me. I am not very good at criticising other people's work in a constructive sense, probably because without understanding the rules of poetry, I am not confident. However, anything I do comment on is genuine enough because I like what i read and want the author to know.

Criticism of another kind on lit-net, beside the reasons you have mentioned, I don't take well - a new experience for me

[dafydd manton]

*Applause!*

[pains of sleep]

in writing workshops, I usually introduce myself by asking that compliments be kept to a minimum. the whole point is to learn from your mistakes. yes, it's great to hear people complimenting the pretty, poignant poesy - but if you're serious about it, you always strive for perfection, for the refinement of shortcomings. at the very least, it is important to hear and explore alternate possibilities in the writing. a good writer will be able to filter workshop comments according to the intent and incorporate those that work best.

[blazeofglory]

In fact we want applause all the time. But objective criticism helps us to write better. We write from one-sidedly and when we listen to others our poems become refined or fine-tuned. When I write something I never fear the criticism. I welcome them but some people here become upset when I write critically about their poems. I think this is their narrow-mindedness. Everybody seems proceeding towards perfection and they can retrench their styles only when they can listen to others or their self-centredness leads to digression, not to progression