Having read some of the most recent posts, I have a few questions about this board, although they are not the reason for this post. I do wonder why anyone bothers to even answer someone they consider a fraud and a plagiarist? I am a member of a cancer survivor board where, believe it or not, some people come in faking cancer and even impending death. While I am angered by the notion that they could have such audacity, in the end I have finally resolved that they are sicker than any of the legitimate folks in that board and the best thing to do is to simply ignore them once they have been exposed (while recognizing, I admit, that they may be a danger to those naive enough to be taken in).

I have to ask the same thing about this BBB character who seems to have since disappeared. Personally, I decided that this board was not a pleasant part of my day/week while that person was around, and I wondered with great amazement while Ted Burke continued to respond to the repugnant, abusive remarks of this person. I still do.

I hate to say this, but I noted in perusing this board in the weeks following my active participation that it became a better board, with better posts and much more interesting conversation. I liked to think that it was not my absence but the absence of certain others, but I am not the one to judge that.

I note that a number of folks (Ted and Bratsche among the notables) do submit original poetry here, and it seems that this is acceptable, while at the same time I recognize, I think, that the primary purpose of the board is to offer critique of the works of others, both the 'ancients' and currents.

I would be happy to get some sort of a history/guide regarding the board. In the meantime, it is my occasional unfortunate habit to get a wild hair up my backside and to write what I think falcon once described as 'a 20 minute wonder'. Whether it was falcon or not, I salute the one who came up with that. Still, I can't help myself, it seems, and I sometimes write something (I DO work it over for a bit, honestly) and then post it here in the hope that others will comment in a worthy manner. It need not be kind, of course, but I would expect from the worthies here that it would be useful at the very least.

The following is something that began as a PAP, but before the end of the first sentence became something else entirely. It is not a complete effort, but I have come to expect that little or none of what I read here from fellow posters is meant to be considered complete.

Take care,

Joe

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There is much that is tragic,
Blood on the street where once a body lay
Anonymously and bleached of life
While strangers walk obliquely by,

Grizzled men in hungry coats
With nervous shoes and angry eyes
Suppressed by trembling hands and
Urgent pleas to disregard the past,

While strangers walk obliquely by,

The weeping widow wondering among
Obligatory black umbrellas raining
On her faith what took the man away
while strangers walk obliquely by,

Offering condolences and
Measures of their self-same faith,
Beads and baubles, words and whispers,
Mouth to ear and cheek to cheek,

The strangers walking slowly by.