Not Perfect

Some poets use poetry to attack other poets, and it is a sad preoccupation

Allow your fellow poets freedom
With grace,  appreciate their words.
Whatever they give it will become
A blessing,  a touch,  that poems accord.

Each one has limitations,  but have a voice.
Listen,  even to them that are new.
Looking for the Good is always a choice,
Do not restrict what does not agree with you.

Above all else, never have Conceit and think
You are above the rest and now excel,
We are all learning and our efforts link
To Poetry,  as we read - we learn well.

For life is a never-ending school
Those who succeed are those who are able,
To look beyond the flaws and to use his tools
While all the while remaining teachable!









Cynthia Buhain Baello
2012

Author's Note

Photo credits: Key chain dolls are our products.

Reviews

[BLACK PRINCE]

WELL SPOKEN ON BEHALF OF OTHER POETS.
I BELIEVE WE ALL LEARN FROM EACH OTHER
AND WE ALL CAN TEACH EACH OTHER.
EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE, PERSPECTIVE,
LIFE, LOVE, OBSERVATION, OPINION TO EXPRESS.
SO WE ALL NEED TO RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCES AND ABILITIES
WHILST CONSTRUCTIVELY AND OBJECTIVELY,
HONESTLY TEACHING ONE ANOTHER
ON THE PATH OF POETIC PROGRESS.

[zainul]

Wonderful poem.
Should be a good lesson for the unwanted comment mongers

[...]

. beautifully said ... and i agree with your perspective ... off-late, i've noticed that a lot of poet-bashing is happening on this site in the name of "constructive criticism" ... and ... it needs to stop ... and ... thank you for reminding us all that we are all learning ... and that learning is a continuous process ... a learner needs support and patience ... not ridicule and derision ... therefore, your poem is not just a beautiful piece of writing but also urgently needed ...

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Thank you for your observant review. I find it increasingly disturbing how some writers seem to have an inclination to use comments to give vent to their own personal issues by attacking another poet/poetry. Reviews are meant to express how the poem touches or affects the reader, and not to be used as an academic teaching tool for a poetry course. If we wanted that we would all be enrolled in some college learning academic poetry writing and classic poetry. We are here on this site to express our poems as we feel them and conceive them because these are who we are. Each poet has a different style and skill - and those who have limited expertise in the English language still have a voice and some valuable message we could benefit from, however crudely expressed. Respect for each other and not PRIDE should be the uniting factor we need where Poetry is concerned.

[zainul]

I support your view.I have also seen few persons are using this forum to derogate or disregard others as school kids.They should abandon the policy of inflicting humiliation to others to help prevail a congenial atmosphere in this site.They may me flagged for their ill motif.

[Mauricio Montoya]

I like how this comes together because the beauty of our work always lies in the eye of the reader, thank you for this awesome write.

[David Lewis Paget]

So very true - we are all apprentices in this great art, the precise use of language is our passion. You say it well.

[Amanda]

It flows very nicely and it actually tells a kind of story. Nicely done, Keep writing! :)