http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/01/09/seattle_poetry_chain_7_susan Comments On: Seattle Poetry Chain 7: Susan Parr by Paul Constant en-us Copyright 2009 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0800 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0800 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Posted by nunya]]> Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:29:25 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Just Here to Agree]]> Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:39:08 -0800 The Stranger Posted by nunya]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:22:06 -0800 The Stranger Posted by pinkslip]]> Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:46:36 -0800 The Stranger
Now, back to appreciating Susan Parr. For real.
Posted by Paul Constant]]> Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:21:22 -0800 The Stranger
And I also didn't mean to hijack this thread: That Susan Parr really is something else, isn't she?
Posted by Paul Constant]]> Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:13:45 -0800 The Stranger Bear
Posted by Bear]]> Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:52:24 -0800 The Stranger
Basically, Mr. Constant was really really pissed. And he wanted me to make nice or go away. I decided not to make nice. More on that later. What did give me pause was that I may have insulted Ms. Curry. I don't think I did. I asked Mr. Constant if he and his friends made fun of her poem. If she was insulted by that, I apologize. I liked her poem fine. I also like her choice of Ms. Parr. Her poem reminds me somehow of a poem I wrote about my sister that died of a brain tumor at the age of 30.

I will tell everybody that I am not completely proud of my posts. Maybe I'm the first internet poster to not be proud of what they put up. I don't know. But here is the story of why I am so pissed and why there can be not meeting of the minds. About 5 years ago I was dating a beautiful gal who had a precious little 5 year old daughter. [She no longer lives in Seattle but she may read this. And to her I apologize for telling her story]. This little girl loved books and being read to and sung to at bedtime. To see them together would melt your heart. Anyway, my girlfriend submitted a poem to the bus thing and got accepted. She took the panel they gave her and framed it and hung it in the living room. Not soon after, at bedtime, she was asking her daughter which of her favorite books she wanted to hear. Her daughter pushed them aside and whispered "Read me your poem". And for the next week, that was all she wanted to here. Now, when I think of your story "It Gets Verse" I feel you basically got down in that little girl's face and said "Your Mom's poem is no good." And that is why I'm angry. And that isn't taking into account the actual little girls that have their poems up there and feel some pride about that. You basically pissed in all these people's eye and for what? Circulation? That's fine for you. But I am speaking for all these people out here who didn't deserve that.

As for people who think I'm not putting my balls on the block, I have used the e-mail I use for my chapbook business from the beginning. So I was never trying to hide from Mr. Constant. You might think it would be in my best interest to not antagonize him.

I could say more. But I do really want to stop posting here. So never mention me again, please.
Posted by nunya]]> Sat, 10 Jan 2009 11:06:28 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Monica Fambrough]]> Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:14:06 -0800 The Stranger
in short, FFS people, calm down.

i rather like this weeks poem, and i suspect that's because it shares certain qualities with Kay Ryan, whom i've enjoyed a lot over the last year.
Posted by rtm]]> Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:02:13 -0800 The Stranger
As for the poem, glad to see the Chain stretch slightly beyond the Subtext regulars. This might be the best poem so far.

Susan, how's about a non-MFA poet next time? Let's keep spicing it up around here.
Posted by Brian]]> Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:33:11 -0800 The Stranger
1. There was no subterfuge or weird internet tomfoolery in uncovering his identity. Several people familiar with that poster and his alter ego have sent me e-mails informing me who it is, because they believed he would calm down if he knew that I know who he is.

2. I didn't use his last name, so nothing is Google-able and I didn't really "out" him. I don't mind that the guy hates me, but he was starting to act in inappropriate ways toward the poets who were agreeable enough to participate in the Poetry Chain. I was trying to appeal to the person and not the anonymous troll.

and 3. I lost my temper. I understand that negative commenters are part of my job, and 99% of the time, I'm fine with it. But when one particular person spends a good chunk of his leisure time tracking down all my posts and calling for me to be fired for my incompetence, sometimes it happens. I just wanted him to understand that there is accountability in a town this small, and, as a member of this community, his anonymity is not guaranteed. You can't brag to some people that you're trolling and not expect word to get around that you're trolling. Making anonymous comments to strangers on the internet is one thing, but as a member of the Seattle literary community, giving the people you dislike a tiny bit of respect, like signing your name to your attacks, is generally a good thing.

I don't expect everyone to agree with my choice, but I did want to explain my choice. It's a complicated thing and I'm still not sure how I feel about the decision I made. But, frankly, I'm not sorry to learn that he's upset at the prospect of having his real name attached to his attacks. He should be.
Posted by Paul Constant]]> Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:20:06 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Greg]]> Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:57:06 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Alicia]]> Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:19:14 -0800 The Stranger
Sorry to send this thread backwards, but wow.

I like this week's poem.
Posted by leek]]> Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:16:01 -0800 The Stranger