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During my childhood, I walked: During my childhood, I walked on eggshells all the time.  I realized at a very, very early age (sometime prior to kindergarten) that I was unable, and would always be unable, to fulfill my parents' expectations.  There was so much I could not disclose to them.  But, forty-eight years ago (as of the 13th of this month), I told them I wanted to be a poet (as opposed to my earlier ambition to be a writer of horror and/or science fiction stories); I said this to them on a Monday evening, during dinner, and the aghast expression on their faces was so amusing that I could not help giggling (and did not even try to suppress the response).  Poetry was one of the four cardinal sins in their little (and belittling world); and the fact that I not only inclined to it, but openly admitted the ambition, struck them as an ultimate betrayal, Yes, those eggshells are very, very familiar to me, and very much a part of my memories from childhood and adolescence.  I am sorry you had to experience them as well.

This one is now on YouTube: I read this one in a YouTube video.  You can watch it by clicking here:  https://youtube.com/shorts/TvCsNsecTLU

I read it on YouTube: You can watch/hear me read it by clicking on the following link   https://youtube.com/shorts/whWiNE51CF4   I love you folks, but Jesus loves you more.   T. W. Smith

For sure the Illiad was a bit: For sure the Illiad was a bit of a headache similar to the novel Gone With the Wind what for the sheer length of lines. It probably takes a rare talent to keep our attention and keep us entertained simulaneously. Add that to the slow nature of the reading process so there is something to be grateful for with regards to each generation's "core audience."

I have that problem, too.  My: I have that problem, too.  My condition sometimes interferes with my reading plans, so that those who post the most are those of whom I am able to read the least.  You state the problem very succinctly.

You are very observant, and I: You are very observant, and I think the answer to the poem's question is that both processes are active.  I also think they are slow processes---we are not yet ready, unfortunately, for a large return to the long formats of, say, something like Browning's Ring And Book.  Some few will always form a core audience, in every generation, for the long poems.  However, I think that there is a lot of legitimacy in Callimachus" ancient assertion that a big poem can be a big headache.  Forty-eight years ago, this month, I first began to study Poetry---and I thought, then, that epic form was the supreme vehicle for poetry.  I do not believe that now---I applaud Callimachus' literary opinions. I hope this comment makes some sense in its attempt to reply to your very astute Poem.

Thank you.  I feel very: Thank you.  I feel very blessed that I have received comments from two of PostPoems' finest Poets---yourself and crypticbard.  That encourages and strenghtens me very much.