I don’t mind when people criticize my poetry as long as they are well meaning and polite about it. It’s when they act as though they know everything (and maybe they do) but convey their message with a discouraging tone. Now, personally, I believe in being encouraging to anyone that is attempting to write, because why should I have a corner on the market (not that I do, haha)? Call me a softy artist at heart, but I don’t see the purpose of pushing and shoving to discredit others for their expressions just to put myself ahead.
Good God if you need the money that bad just get a frickin normal job! That’s what I do! This kind of criticism annoys me especially when I’ve ADMITTED that the piece is very flawed and not my area of expertise as well as an ASSIGNMENT for class. Want to know what exactly I’m talking about, then here is what I mean. Check out the second comment made by Deangelo something or other. I have to admit, this person did not catch me in a good mood and prompted a cold response. Maybe I should have ignored this ass, but my honor as a poet was called into question! Just kidding. That’s too melodramatic. I just don’t like it when someone tries to make me look like a moron when I know I followed the assignment as given. Okay, well I will leave this off with this advice: If you intend to criticize someone for their personal work, then make sure you have your facts straight, and make sure it is constructive. A positive comment before dishing out the trash on the person is helpful to set someone at ease and let them know that everything said is meant to be helpful and not hurtful. That’s the sticky thing about any form of art, artists are too damn sensitive about their stuff.
July 19, 2007 at 5:39 pm
I think this can go beyond just art. It is about being constructive as well as polite. I don’t think sensitivity has anything to do with it. Either way, I do agree with you and after reading the comment it seemed he (or she…maybe?) wasn’t exactly aware of other forms of sonnets beyond a Shakespearian sonnet. Perhaps this was just a high school student sharing their first knowledge of what is commonly only taught in an English classroom. The only thing I would say about your reply would have been to maybe have explained a little more about the sonnet you chose to write as well as the rhyme scheme.
July 19, 2007 at 8:39 pm
It’s simply another rhyme scheme of a Shakespearian sonnet and as for explaining what the actual poem was about…I was in no mood. After dealing with fucking morons all day at work, I was not inclined to deal with them while at home and in regards to my work. Not to mention, it would have been helpful if they had bothered to tell me what exactly they didn’t understand about it. That would have given me more motivation to explain, but as it was, their tone didn’t seem to say that they really gave a rat’s ass (not that I blame them, I wasn’t fond of that piece either), but then why mention it. And as for sensitivity…I think it does have something to do with it, otherwise I would have been able to deal with this with a bit more stoicism. Oh well, I won’t curtail my occassional emotional outburst seeing as how i’ve been deprived of those for most my life. At least with a computer screen I don’t have a face and neither does anyone else (whether or not there are pictures of them), which means I feel less guilty about being rude, haha. But now I’m ranting after another day of idiots and so I’ll leave off and let this drop. Tell Mega I said happy birthday, by the way. Hope you guys are having a good time in Ca.
July 21, 2007 at 11:30 am
I was agreeing with you…
July 21, 2007 at 11:55 am
Now I have a wordpress account so that you can see my comment right away
My two cents about this are that modern poetry has broken all boundaries concerning rhyme scheme and structure. The modern sonnets and haikus do not resemble the classics. My second point is that, being an artist, you have to develop a thick skin (something that I could learn to implement better myself). The comments I’ve received on Deviant Art for my comics have been 50% negative. I try to take a light-hearted view.
July 23, 2007 at 10:50 am
Sorry Bean, I was super cranky that day. Wasn’t trying to be defensive, but well…yeah, I’m not perfect…gotta go…oy vey. See you soon hopefully. I’ll be back later to respond to you Mega.
July 24, 2007 at 10:48 pm
Woot Mega! That helps me from those moments of brain lapse,where I completely forget to check that sort of thing like comments.
Yeah I generally don’t take it too much to heart with those sort of comments, but this one irked me cause I had already said that it wasn’t my strong point and that I knew it wasn’t perfect….meh it really is stupid, but it was a combination of things that culminated in my feeling more offended than I should have. Stupid really, but such is life, I can’t repress everything forever and it more often than not tends to come out in regards to the petty things, because they are the least confrontational…haha, I’m such a passive-aggressive sissy! Anywho….glad you have a wordpress account. I’m looking forward to more comics from you!
July 26, 2007 at 12:54 am
Ah, no worries bean. I should have taken a little more care with my comment. As I re-read it, it wasn’t exactly what I was trying to say. Anywho, home at last!