HarryG's BLOG

An Anonymous Review I Received Today

A few days ago I received an email from Monty asking members of the Traditional Poetry Group to please submit an entry into this month's Traditional Poetry Contest since he had received only a few entries thus far. To be supportive I entered "Traversing The Sea Of Life", a recent storoem I had written. Tonight I received the following anonymous public review:
"Harry -

This meter is all over the place and too rocky to garner any serious reviews.

Google "traditional verse" and educate yourself about meter; as a blue case I would have thought you to be cognizant of this vital component of rhyming poetry, but alas some people 's promotions defy explanations.

I would give my name but you would desecrate it.

I'm going to your port right this second to see other works of yours. Maybe you are a better storyteller than a poet, huh?

Anon

P.S. Keep your Gps for this review, you really don't want my opinion."

Wow! My entry is a storoem in which end rhyming is used but not strict meter. Monty specifies in his rules for the contest "TRADITIONAL (RHYMING STYLE) POETRY ONLY". He does not specify any requirement for meter, just that the entry has rhyme. I have entered storoems before and placed well in the contests.

To give such a strongly worded public review with comments such as this reviewer gave and to lack the courage to attach your name to it is totally cowardly to me. I have given some harsh reviews in my day with low ratings, but I never have stooped to hiding behind doing it anonymously. I am not that craven.

This person ascribes attributes to me that are unwarranted: "I would give my name(,) but you would desecrate it."  Desecrate it? His/her name is sacred?
"Keep your Gps for this review[,](;) you really don't want my opinion." I welcome any opinions that are not personal attacks delivered anonymously.

I really do not approve of this site's allowing anonymous reviews. If you have comments to make, I believe you should be willing to make them openly, not in this cowardly manner.

Cheers!

Harry