Author Information
Fifty Years, Half A Century, Reading Poetry
As of this month (and I was not, then, mature enough to record the date), I began to read Poetry for the first time, compelled to do so by my ninth grade English teacher, Mr. Mills. Each of in the class was required to purchase a cophy of Oscar Williams' poetry anthology. That year, I read Poetry resentfully, and did not enjoy it. Little did I know that in two and a half years, I would need Poetry as much as I needed breath or nourishment to survive.
I have been a member of PostPoems since December 2001, coming here to escape the resrictions that the Starkute Cafe imposed upon its members---namely, that only six poems could be posted per day by any member; that editorial changes not only required the site administrator's permission, they also had to be implemented by him; and, the most glaring, the site administrator could remove any poem that he deemed inappropriate. PostPoems was, and is, so far superior to the Starlite; and the Starlite is now defunct.
Paradoxically, the greatest living Poet (great in both verbal skill and in empathetic personality) I have ever encountered, in my fifty years of reading, poems posts right here on PostPoems; and the worst, and most vexing poet (both in verbal skill and in the lack of any empathy whatsoever) also posts here. That is the only aspect about PostPoems that I dislike---that the vexer is permitted participation.
PostPoems has allowed me to achieve my poetic goals beyond even my wildest imagination. Everything I wanted from Poetry beginning on that tremendous day, October 13th, 1975, has been fulfilled at PostPoems.
Starward
Superbly delicious to retrace
Superbly delicious to retrace our steps in poetry. For my part I venture to say that my parents' permitting poetry to be part of our daily yhousehold routine, most of which (age appropriately) would be nursery rhymes and poetic tales. From soaking all that in and moving to a more active interphase with poetry began when i was 4 and had to memorise "Cat" by Mary Britton Miller, complete with gesturing and interpretative movement. If pushed I most possibly could recite this poem from memory, lol. And since that time 'yawning of cats' has been a permanently etched image in my psyche.
Starlite didn't have much of an impact on my poetic activity. And as you have explained quite tellingly was not a very promising choice of a venue and environment in which poetry could be lived in or grown from. The aspect of PostPoems that you mention was the main reason for the overly long extended hiatus that I found myself in. But that is the way, isn't it.
Allow us to celebrate with you on 50 years of poetry and 22 years on PostPoems!
here is poetry that doesn't always conform
galateus, arkayye, arqios,arquious, crypticbard, excalibard, wordweaver
Thank you so very much for
Thank you so very much for those kind words, and sharing a part of your history with me. I am very grateful for your comment. Although the numbers say 50 and 22 years, respectively, sometimes the time feels like it was just yesterday.
Starward