What is the difference?

No such thing as 'correct' requirements, but it's generally agreed poetry needs rhythm and should flow. Not necessary to rhyme either, in fact there have been heated discussions on the site in the past between those that feel rhyme is almost obligatory and those that think rhyming poetry is inferior schoolyard stuff not worthy of intellectual consideration. If universal understanding is one of your maxims then I'm afraid you are doomed to failure, it's not possible to reach everyone unless you write in very basic form, and that by definition, puts a stranglehold on creativity.

I guess reaching every one is meant to mean every one who is able to understand,, but thank you for letting know that there is no set form for a peom.

I seemed to have stumbled into the dragon's lair...Seriously though, the best way to learn the 'rules', if there are any in the wonderfully shifting world of poetry, is to read as much as you can. Check out poets on the site as well as the old established ones in books. I think that rhyming can be clever and not necessarily simplistic...in fact it can be intensely complicated. However, there are so many variations. Check out Ivoryfishbone et al...they are cleverer than a non-poet like me. I just read it... Good luck dragons all...let's hope you produce some real fire...

is this guy for real. Don't get me started ..... :oD

Of cause I am Phantom,, bring it on, I want feed back

my mother always said "i want doesn't get" ...

if you don't ask you don't get, as I have proven by the amount of people who have read my work but have not given feed bgack, I don't give to recive, but if you take you should give back, Is feedback so much to ask for?

i am interested to know if you have received any feedback since demanding it?

Hey! leave him alone! Why should he not 'demand' - its part of your duty to the group, to the community. You should give and share. (puts on halo) "Here, in this writer's paradise, we are not just donators, we are creators, and facilitat.ors!" Give the guy feedback, whether he 'demands' it or not. Let him 'demand' - he's driven. Tell him - but honestly! So many wounds in life are excuse by 'politeness' e-griff

hidden dragon just between you and me - I don't know either, so I'm waiting for them to reply! anon

Further to my last message, I've caught up on the other therads. hiden dragon, thou dost protest too much! I changed my mind. i tend towards missisipi's advice, but not strongly. Iagree we should do more ( for people like you and me) to encourage feedback. how is this to be done? Who are the Lords of the Continuum? One is the 'andrew pack' character. who else? I don't think h/dragon is wrong to 'demand' but it may not be a winning strategy. A persuasive campaign to UP response would be good. How about it - people who manage this site - Let's have a few editorials. eg: You put in a story , you rate a story! If you want feedback - GIVE feedback. I think there is something to be done along these lines - but over to the massters. HELP! egriff

hahha egriff ... nice to see you change your mind ... i think what we have here is not a Feedback By Demand Service ... but rather a community where people take part ... and they DO ... trumpeting around demanding things doesn't get results i dont think ... tho i would be interested to be proved wrong ... whereas approaching people and offering comments on their work often elicits a reciprocal response ... i often think that with ABC like with many things in life .. you get out what you put in ... so why not start by getting over to the cheese and wine party on general discussion and introducing yourselves?

because i did not know it was there!

This is an issue which comes up often and I always give an answer similar to that of Fish - people turn up and want to know why nobody has given them feedback, to which I ask "And how many people have you given feedback to? " - often a sheepish look at floor is the answer. Truth - most of the readers on this site are also writers. Most of them are also extremely fair - if you read some of their work (which, believe me, is no hardship with the good writers) and let them know, most will return the favour. Everyone benefits. When newcomers ask politely (and ask once) for feedback on a particular piece, people are often very helpful. You get from abc what you put in. And I think we've had some cracking additions over the last few days :- faithless, e-griff, twotoasts, lordhimm and of course writersanon (who are some sort of mysterious group of strong writers posting in an anonymised syndicate).