A Reviewer's Remise

This is prose, not true poetry. It came to me when reflecting on the reviews I give to so many people.

Review. Tis a sweet melody to most here on Writerscafe. We all seek the common recognition and praise for our work, but when is it -dare I say it- justified? I have read a thousand works here, eager to leave my thoughts and praises for some, eager to leave critique on others. However, what gives justice to the words I speak? By whose authority do I tell people what to fix and what to keep? I find myself struggleng with the fact that there are so many good writers here on our esteemed Writerscafe, and yet so many of them need improvement. But who am I to be the one to tell them that? I look at the reviews of others and recognise they give nothing but praise. Am I supposed to tell people what is wrong or right with their work? Should I? I claim to be superior to nobody. I am naught but a set of words on a screen, happily coming together in a set order by the destining of this thing you call a soul. But what gives it purpose? What gives it merit? What about my words is so significant that it must be written down? And then, why should anybody read them? A thousand laments for the man who wakes and discovers this truth!

 

Regardless, I write because I write. I review because I know, or moreso fathom to know; what it's like not to be reviewed. My will is shallow; my soul is meek. But for some reason, it still holds taunt. I review on no authority, I write for no one's merit. And somewhere along the way, my soul will fade. Insignificant.

 

Sincerely,

Writer

Reviews

[...]

... it's a very thought-provoking write ... my thoughts? ... i'd like to start from scratch ... and start by talking about life ... what's the most important thing? ... human rights ... for me it definitely is ... what is the biggest challenge in a multi-cultural setting? ... offending someone unintentionally ... what is poetry? ... it's a finger print of the soul ... what does it celebrate the most? ... the freedom of expression ... what is the one competence that poets ought to have? ... being able to be respectful all the time and not being disrespectful especially when it comes to choice of words ... between verbal and non-verbal communication, what is significantly more potent? ... non-verbal communication ... we always communicate more through the tone of our writing than through the choice of words ... what is the potential harm of leaving a positive comment? ... the poet is reassured and will take more risks and experiment more ... is that really harmful? ... i don't think so ... what is the challenge? ... we must not validate something that we do not believe in ... and here i'm referring to ethics and they are universal ... and not morality which is subjective ... having said that ... i have a very clear understanding of the word "review" ... it is a second look ... in a review ... i view again ... what i see ... and let the poet know what i saw ... then it is for them to decide whether what i saw is more or less or equivalent to what they meant to show me ... when i chance upon a value or principle being spoken of that i don't agree with ... i make sure that i don't validate it ... for instance ... if someone is talking about committing suicide ... something that i do not agree with ... i may notice grammatical inaccuracies or find the potential for recommending structural enhancements ... but what becomes more important for me even then ... is to not validate the idea ... and i don't ... similarly ... if i come across a write that has some minor grammar issues or potential for structural enhancements ... but has the music of life in it ... then i validate it ... i think communication was never a victim of grammar and structure ... and there are many of us here for whom english is not the first language ... besides ... is it really possible to fix someone's grammar by giving feedback on one or two or three or even ten pieces? ... i don't think so ... is it possible to change someone's thought process and get them to structure poems differently by giving feedback on one or two or three or even ten pieces? ... i don't think so ... i am too small an entity in the universe of verse and i have a long way to go as a human being ... it's enough to get my human rights song right ... and if i manage to accomplish that ... it's enough for me to validate ethical thoughts and actions ... when i'm done with that ... and become an expert ... as also become the expert in saying things in such a manner that the choice of words as well as the tone of my words has no potential to hurt anyone ... who by the way ... might be in another corner of the world ... suffering from severe depression or oppression ... then i'll critique a poem ... i'm a long way from that right now ... anyhow ... this is an amazingly enriching write ... it educates me about another perspective ... and i am indebted for the opportunity to express my thoughts ... god bless ... and thanks again ... (serah) ...

... p.s. ... the knowledge of grammar and structure comes from extensive reading ... there are enough writers here in the cafe who are great at grammar and structure ... and those who are not pretty much know who to read ... still ... if i really feel the need ... then i'll recommend a particular poet to a poet who is not good at grammar and structuring ... rather than talk down to them ... that is a far more non-threatening way to critique ... and when i have done so ... it has always worked ...

[lawrence bear]

well said, the truth shall set you free, so I heard this line in a movie once. But I do agree, I write what I feel, only because a shrink costs me money and this site lets me be me, my stuff is some what emotional, maybe even s****y, I don't know. I just write, to get away from lifes problems that seems to be banging at my door quite often. Thanks for sharing your work, I like this one a lot.

[Havatara]

Thank you for the write. It is so true, but some people, or even most people, are unwilling to admit things like this. Again, thank you.

[Ross Saunders]

Nice. a lot thought provoking ideas here.

[Rawr!!XD]

Thanks for sharing. I know I've felt this way a time or two. My writing is up for suggestion, discussion, critique, or whatever. I'm not gonna freak if someone tells me it needs some serious work, I just don't like rude comments like "You suck." or "You're a terrible writer.", but I would like some creative suggestions on how my writings could be better.
Thanks for sharing.

[Raven Wilson]

Thank you for sharing, I believe we have all felt this way at some point during our reading.

[Angel Veselinov]

thanks for sharing this with us i think to some point we all feel that way here :) But that is the point of all this to create ! :)

[~*~Peace Keeper~*~]

This is very true...great write

[E. A. Fielder]

It is the freedom of difference and opinion. My work is TOTALLY open to suggestion... that is if it is critiqued fairly. Some people write for recognition, some people write to stir the emotions of others and invoke thought others just write and it has no place or meaning. Writing is a pleasure and an art form for me. It is more than words, they are a weapon and they are a vent.

[Aldora Sparrow]

Thank you! I was just feeling this and it makes me happy that I'm not the only one who thinks this. I've been having a constant flow of read requests and all of the people who are kind enough to review back are not the ones who I reviewed. I constantly want to better myself, but I really am not getting it here.
Back to what you said (sorry, I rant a little), I really like some of the things you wrote here. The last paragraph is particularly powerful.
"Regardless, I write because I write. I review because I know, or moreso fathom (?) to know; what it's like not to be reviewed. My will is shallow; my soul is meek. But for some reason, it still holds taunt. I review on no authority, I write for no one's merit. And somewhere along the way, my soul will fade. Insignificant."
Very nice work and I truly enjoyed this. Added to my favorites! Keep up the good work!

[Starting Over]

I liked that very much! It was very wonderful to read