Let's Strike Now

No more talking,. No more whinging. If we want to change this site let's do it. I already feel something changing - I think we all do. Threads are becoming more active. When I log on, I more and more frequently see numbers in double figures.
New members are joining, most days! Let's make them welcome - leave them a comment, and welcome them to the site. Offer them some advice - ADVERTISE this place - it's wonderful, but if it isn't plugged by the current members and cherished, then why should new members stick around?
Everyone leave a comment on a poem when they log on; make it a priority and the difference will be immense. Comments made will be returned and so on and so on.
Start threads, join existing threads, nominate, join clubs - get involved. This is the time we can turn this around.
I'm relatively new here, but I have come to love this site and I want to see it prosper, not log on and hear people whinging about how great it used to be. It IS great and can be better so let's all do our bit.
Momentum is gathering - lets all get caught up in it and not let it pass by. Don't just read this and nod and leave it to someone else. Do it yourself. If we all do that, we all win.
I really am hopelessly drunk tonight, but I will type until the screen fades to black. If you love poetry, read, comment and write. This site is for POETS - poetry is the primary objective. When we get that right and stop bemoaning the site, everything else will follow.

Come join me in the promised land
Where we take each and every hand
Of those whose lives are made of verse
And stop this ever biting curse
That we bemoan and do not fight,
But on this eve and on this night
I say to those who wish for more -
Nay, I do passionately implore -
That we stand firm and raise a banner
And shape with skilful blacksmith's hammer
A place of light - a place of rhyme.....

NOW we come, this is our time!

I'm now on the verge of alcoholic collapse, so I will retire to bed now. I do apologise if I have offended anyone and I may well regret this post in the morning. But they do say truth is often spoken in the dark entanglements of red wine. Don't they?
All the very best
Ben

You have no clue how glad I am
to not give any dam..

I once gave a dam...
And all the water on a Town
was held as reservoir
while people on the streets
slowly died of thirst

And now, while I don't give a dam..
I let the water be
to run freely on the ground
so like a river it can stream

----

And well, I am not drunk but I'm extremely tired.. I used to care so much but now that I kind of don't .. I feel more relax, and I just enjoy the poetry. I guess it has it's good and bad.

Thanks though, for trying to stir participation by making everyone feel welcome.

Funny I use to feel welcome here.it was my home....things sure change in 4yrs. The atmosphere Is so different or maybe it's just me.Oh well welcome the new bury the old.

Hey! hey! hey! Let's not be talking about burying the old.
Makes me nervous!!!! LMAO

Haha, you make me laugh, Ben!
This site has always had a small core of members who kept it alive, including yours truly, and now with new stars like you getting involved we can't lose, can we? :)

It's great to see so many people posting on the threads again!

Hi Ben,
As Ingrid says, there has always been a hardcore of members here, albeit we didn't contribute much the last 2 years or so, as both Ingrid and myself were both heavily involved in sweating buckets writing our book 'Zero Point', but have now returned to the fold and can contribute once more.
I note also, interest seems to be coming back to this site, I believe maybe, the magic of 'Facebook' and the like, is now wearing off, as participants realise that their 'digital friends' are really no real friends at all.
Ingrid and myself ran a great club here once, but we found as we all did, members deserting us, due perhaps to Facebook, and general time constraints of members, but like you, I believe the tide is turning back to PnQ. I hope I am not wrong!
I am reminded in that of a story of someone who invited all his hundreds of Facebook 'friends' to his birthday party, and no one turned up!
Here at PnQ, we DO have something, something that can be grown, something that can be made real and into great face to face friendships! Myself and Ingrid got to know each other online some 3 years ago through PnQ, and took the plunge and MET both in Holland and the Uk many times, and continue to do so. From out of PnQ came real and everlasting friendship. That is what we can have here if we all try and meet each other, (just from time to time), and share our wonderful poetry face to face over a drink or two, rather than these impersonal relationships that we all mostly have here, and which ultimately members will drift away from.
'Mr Darcy' (what a great name!) otherwise known as Michael, a great poet here, (much like yourself), is endeavouring to get all of us UK PnQ poets to start MEETING UP (in a pub of course!) on a regular basis, and I for one will be there, to meet all the wonderful, talented UK writers that we have in this great nation of hours. I trust that you will be there.
I hope similar groups around this beautiful world, who find members near their locations, will also do the same. We can bring our poems along at these meetings, and read them to all, and enjoy the magical beauty of our words..
I shall shut up now, and unlike you, am quite sober!
I hope that members here with take the plunge and get out there and meet! Spread the word....!

Bury the old, you learn nothing, the future is predicated upon the past, and personally I developed too many personal relationships from the past, yes some of them should have been buried a long time ago, (Anna), (Donald Minikus, and sylvia Feely.......we had a P and Q reunion in Lorain , Ohio...I rode my motorcycle 7 hours to get there and was glad I did, great group of people, and I was actually surprised to find out they were in person as they were on the internet.......anyhow, have a great day....oh they're looking for judges for the poetry contest

The Poetry forums are the least active forums in comparison to non-poetry and community talk, ironic for a poetry site. I suggest starting a debate there (facepalm)

.we had a P and Q reunion in Lorain , Ohio...I rode my motorcycle 7 hours to get there and was glad I did, great group of people, and I was actually surprised to find out they were in person as they were on the internet.......

^^^

I forgot you rode your motorcycle Bob...lol.....what a good time we had...everyone was great :) my granddaughters still talk about the little house you bought their brother...and about a basket of goodies Deanna brought for them...kids remember everything.

Anna I would never really bury the old...lol....I'm one of them ;)

Good for you Bob and Cindy! You got out too, and met your fellow poets!!

You have a valid point GB..

Peter, most definitely. As I said in the pm to you, meeting is a great idea and I would certainly be honoured to meet some of the fine poets on this site. And now I have sobered up since last night's slurry post, meeting in a pub appeals somewhat!
All the best everyone,
Ben