Tell me, am I an old-fashioned Miss Manners to insist on civil discourse in this brave, new world?

i have been asked to tell you, so here's what i'm telling you: if civil and respectful and balanced in assessment are old fashioned, then, please, let's have more old fashioned.

i know i am not nearly as battle worn as other PoemFraysters, so i know it is easier for me to remain more optimistic. when i let my 'actually' mini-rant fly, that's when i knew i needed to step back from the edge, as they say.

PoemsFray can use better poems on tuesdays. PoemsFray can use better critique on tuesdays. i think we can encourage (wrestle? humilate?) Mr. Pinsky into offering better tuesday pics by writing better critique.

(i do wonder, though if PoemsFray is not too consistent with the rest of Slate in that the editorial mission seems to be "before all else, wag the dog, then yank its chain.") Pinsky might be accused of a little flesh selling. it is a charge, i think, that might stick.)

waltz