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Where Authors & Readers come together (and the delicate subject of literary criticism) 9/9/2008 5:32:04 AM
Since I became a member of AD - and, to this day, in spite of troubled moments experienced, I have never regretted joining this forum - I have seen authors and poets (and readers) come and go, authors and poets (and readers) as diverse in their styles, perspectives, motivations and, I dare saying, in talent, as... flowers in a garden, or fish in the ocean, or - why not - works of art in a multi-faceted gallery.
In five years, however, I can't recall having seen a genuine literary critic (or a critic of poetry, for that matter) at work in this community - although I have read many very thorough, well-constructed reviews and truly helpful and knowledgeable comments written by readers, or by authors regarding the works of their fellow authors.
I can say - and am grateful for this - that I have learned a lot from many of such reviews and comments, and feel that many mistakes, kindly but incisively brought to my attention (not exclusively, but especially regarding spelling, grammar, and other aspects of the English language, which, as you know, is not my maternal one), some as part of the comments, some in private messages, have helped me evolve as an author, by helping me to improve.
On the other hand, there have been highly negative remarks that I would be more than glad to ponder upon and acknowledge as potential resources of improvement to my work, were it not for their insolent and arrogant - if shallow – partiality. As, by contrast, there have been some observations that, flattering as they may be, as well as rewarding, I take, above all, as sharp reminders of the subjectivity of “taste” in literature, as, again, in any art – and therefore, if deeply appreciated, don’t bring about any sense of superiority whatsoever.
In most cases, however, I consider myself privileged for those many comments through which readers and fellow authors simply express what my works make them feel, what they "say" to them. And I feel enormously blessed for the opportunities AD has been offering me, someone to whom “reading is a need, like breathing”, of enjoying many, many creations that "say" wonderful things to me, or not so wonderful things which, nonetheless, make me reflect and learn from them. I love the variety, and, even more so, the uniqueness of each poet, of each author in this forum... and, hoping that life may allow this to change soon, I sincerely regret not having more spare time to express my feelings concerning what they (you) write.
With my heartfelt thanks, wishes of continued inspiration, and love to all, here goes a warm {{{{{{{{{hug}}}}}}}}}}
