Praised comments

Just throwing this out there. We've discussed this before, but always in the context of other matters.

I'd like people's opinion as to what you think are the criteria for a praised comment? For any given factor try to to give me a range. In other words, how much should it be that way at a minimum and what should it be like optimally? What combinations of merits would make up for a weakness in some areas?

Difficult, I have had a few comments praised recently that I thought were not really praise worthy. I pointed out a few things but I didn't really get into the bones of the poem.

My own opinion is this;

The commenter has attempted to understand the message the writer was portraying. They have looked at each stanza and picked out analogies and used evidence to point out why they feel certain parts point to certain messages (!!?? I could have explained that better)
They could also analyse the mood and look for changes in mood, maybe check syllable counts or Iambic pentameter, they could offer suggestions to what worked or didn't.

Here is one of my praised comments;

I have read this three times now, I love the shape and I am going to attempt to break it down, I would imagine I am going to be rambling and more than likely wrong but it is worth a shot;

Stanza 1
Love the backwards into the future, my first impression is that this is somebody who cannot let go of the past, they are moving slowly forward without recognition of what is a head, maybe this is the beginning of depression/madness. You mention half worn paths, this makes me think that their mind is racing about decisions they have made, they are playing scenarios over in their mind.

Stanza 2
This stanza is brilliant there is a real sense of madness, they are noticing finite detail, something you obsess about during depression, is it the mind slowly breaking. I like the conflict of a heaven or hell, these things do not matter or seem to exist to other people in another realm. I like the 'chronologically' that links you back to the clock theme. A dirt spoon? could suggest somebody who likes to cause trouble, maybe somebody is hassling him and has tipped him over the edge.

stanza 3
When suffering from depression 'under the cover' is the best place in the world, it is a safe haven, Maybe now he is thinking there is a heaven maybe he is even contemplating suicide.

stanza 4
A real step into a surrealistic thought process, true madness has arrived, an eagle is such a powerful and majestic bird yet you juxtapose this against a butterfly, both have the capabilities of flight, one is much more powerful than the other. Does he wish to be the eagle but feels like a butterfly. Backwards nowhere, makes perfect sense to me, he is standing still, he is still obsessing about the past, the mind is in overdrive.

Stanza 5
Dirty hands? has he done something terrible, he now shows signs of a major obsessive nature, he is no longer thinking normally, he has removed himself from society, withdrawn into his madness.

final stanza
Is this a warning to live for the moment, or advice to slow down and appreciate life, either way it is a great finish,

I like the constant 'break' littered throughout this adds to the madness.

If I could nominate I would, (lost that when I started again!!)

My interpretation might be off, but at least I had a go.

**********

There is my 2 pence worth.

It doesn't have to be war and peace but I feel it should at least be a couple of paragraphs.

IamNemoN01 2 weeks ago
"Well at least you don't troll in your poem comments. I'll hand you that. Can't stand self appointed, bad poets, who think they are qualified to put others straight through harsh critique."
I always thought I do not have a platinum comment award because I tend to focus on what I like about about a poem rather be harsh . Negative critiques can become as cliché as my nice flow or great rhyme scheme
I see a poem to the poet as a creation to creator type of intimacy and would love for the author of the above critique of my critique to have given me an example . The author of the copy and paste above was not as mature as the average member here
In my opinion It is helpful to me if the commenter points out grammar errors and then tells me what they got out of my poem
I may force rhyme but many times rhyme and reason force me to think also
I love you folks

I always thought standards should be pretty high for praised poetry because

- It encourages commenters to look into the poem in depth and use critical skills which helps them learn and grow as poets themselves (it did for me). It helps the reader/commenter and the writer.
- Praising a general, shortish comment devalues the truly praiseworthy comments.

Another rule of thumb is that if a comment can be applied to any other poem other than the one commented on, it is not praiseworthy: often these are short 'I like it' comments but also can get longer comments which are quite vague and general, so having a line-limit as such doesn't really work. The whole thing is very subjective.

Its very difficult to come up with a set criteria, but I think a praiseworthy comment should have a lot of/most/all of the following:

- A personal interpretation of the poem. Not just 'I liked the xyz, it was great.' but what you felt the meaning of the poem was, were metaphors/double meanings used, what is the possible symbolism, what is the poet trying to communicate, etc.

- Critical aspect: By this I mean - saying what you didn't like or what didn't work in the poem, giving suggestions for improvement or drawing attention to something the author may have missed or something that is apparent from the view of the reader but not to the author.

- Knowledge and identification of technique: Having a good knowledge of and spotting out techniques and skills such as use of metaphors, alliteration, personification, rhyme scheme, etc etc helps.

^^
They are probably the most important factors in determining if a comment is praiseworthy to me.

A rubric/checklist would be nice, but near impossible to make and follow due to the subjectivity. But I do think in general, quite a high degree of insight, depth and specific attention to the poem at hand should be evident in a praised comment.

Wasn't there another post on here that seems to have disappeared? I thought someone (can't remember the name) had said something along the lines of...they don't think critique that is too harsh is a good thing?....something else about that's probably the reason why they do not have a platinum box yet? I was going to reply to that post but...it's gone now....did I dream this one ?

Edit

I'd also like to ask....is there a time frame for praising comments? You know...like after 4 weeks for example if it hasn't been praised by the author or another member should the praise button be removed?

I can see how you may have got that idea
Could be from my aspie habits lol

The Nemo quote came from a youtube link
http://youtu.be/4o9osPqHvbY
It was completely of topic there
The confussion cause me to melt down and recall the times my wording was misunderstood
I just thoght it was odd for anyone to perceive my critiques as harsh and pointed out no one on this site ever complained about a comment I left on there poem

Huh???

I'm not sure if you're replying to me Mike but....it was another post I read this morning...not from you?

Anyway...I'd really like a response from the mods about a time frame for praising a comment?

If I understand you, Hellon, you are proposing that after some period of time the praise comment button disappear. I haven't thought of that before. Is there an advantage to that? Perhaps if the author doesn't recognize the worth & no one else does in a certain time, it should be disqualified?

BTW, I haven't seen the post you said disappeared.

I think a comment that helps, shows you somthing new
Or gives a full description of there take on the piece should be awarded with a praise :)

Hellon, is this comment you were thinking about. I think it is right after Darrens first comment. It is the third comment on the thread.

author: Michael D Nalley
status: member
date: 2013.01.15 17:21

[ post answer ]
IamNemoN01 2 weeks ago
"Well at least you don't troll in your poem comments. I'll hand you that. Can't stand self appointed, bad poets, who think they are qualified to put others straight through harsh critique."
I always thought I do not have a platinum comment award because I tend to focus on what I like about about a poem rather be harsh . Negative critiques can become as clich���© as my nice flow or great rhyme scheme
I see a poem to the poet as a creation to creator type of intimacy and would love for the author of the above critique of my critique to have given me an example . The author of the copy and paste above was not as mature as the average member here
In my opinion It is helpful to me if the commenter points out grammar errors and then tells me what they got out of my poem
I may force rhyme but many times rhyme and reason force me to think also
I love you folks

Thanks Sylvia and sorry Mike....I will admit I must have had one massive brain fart yesterday LMAO!

What happened was this....I read this comment early in the morning and had to rush out the door...when I got back I just looked at the avatars and they were all people I recognised so...I thought the post had disappeared...now that I see it's still there...I'm not sure what it's about so....yeah....zippping my mouth and applying for my pensioner pass haha!!!!

Larry....I'll pm you my thoughts on removing the praise button after a period of time.