The Haiku Foundation Forums

Taking one poet by nasty surprise is one poet too many.

I have a proposition for Inkstone. Include a notice in the Welcome section that says Inkstone is an open workshopping forum and explains that the "guava" in their poem could very well become the "quava" in another's poem at any moment. And that if that would be any kind of issue then perhaps workshopping on Inkstone might not be the right place for them.

If Inkstone agreed to do that, and does it then I would delete this thread and never speak of the issue again.

I stand corrected. The offended poet is a former Poet Laureate of the U.S. National Library Service not the US Library of Congress as I mistakenly reported above.

Inkstone said here that the offended poet wrote that they did not view the problem as plagarism but that is one line taken out of context in a multiple paragraph complaint and secondary follow up from the offended poet. If Inkstone wishes to set the record straight they could do so by:

1. Posting the entire complaint message and follow-up message from the offended poet, and the mod responses to it, for readers to judge for themselves.

and

2. If the poet is still posting Haiku on Inkstone then perhaps Inkstone might suggest that that poet come here and defend Inkstone's position.

In the meantime I stand by everything I wrote in my above Warning to others about what can be expected on Inkstone.

Can't argue with much of that, L. I do feel that if you are going to join a forum where riffing is OK it should be made clear upon sign up. Then one can make a choice with eyes wide open and it would avoid any nasty surprises like finding your original idea taken up and published by another before you even finish workshopping your own. The mods disagreed with me.

And for the record, Susan hasn't been a moderator on Inkstone for about 4 years now. She had nothing to do with this. I like and respect Susan very much. She was one of my first very patient and very kind teachers. Alan was the other.

I am writing this as a Warning to anyone considering workshopping on Inkstone Poetry. Until recently I have been the Tech Administrator there for the last 7 years. Inkstone started out as a wonderful place to be sure but some things have changed over the years. Respect for the integrity of another's poem has slowly morphed into a free-for-all with no enforcement or consequence. I will illustrate.

Recently a new member posted a poem for workshopping with intent to afterwards submit for publication. The next day another poet lifted the first poet's main image, posted that poem, received praise and promptly submitted it before the first poet's poem was finished wotkshopping, let alone submitted. Needless to say the first poet was rightly put off feeling that she could no longer submit her poem. She asked the Head Moderator for help and  was told there was nothing they (the mods) could do. Further, she was told that Inkstone had no problem with what was done. That "too close" is is too nebulous to define or enforce. That riffing off each others poems is not only OK on Inkstone but encouraged.

The offended poet happened to be a former Poet Laureate of the US Library of Congress and a damn good poet. Her expectation of workshopping on Inkstone with confidentiality and respect for the integrity of her poem was dashed and she was rightly horrified at what happened. She doesn't know it because she stopped logging in to Inkstone but I became quite vociferous in the treatment she received and the now liberal policies of Inkstone allowing such direct lifting of ideas and images of another's poem without consequence. In the end I was relieved of my duties for being unrelentlng and suspended for 30 days. I do not intend to return under the current circumstances.

If anyone intends to workshop on Inkstone please beware of the possibility that your original idea, image or phrase may be "lifted" from your poem by another and used without consequence. It has happned to me several times but I remained quiet. When I witnessed it happen this last time I was outraged not for myself, but that it happened the way it did to this fine poet, damaging Inkstone's name and reputation.

Quote from: AlanSummers on December 27, 2017, 10:28:30 AM
Santa always wears spectacles! :-)

Quote from: justlikeyou on December 23, 2017, 06:03:21 PM
I had no idea you wore glasses Alan :-) Merry Christmas!

Happy Coming New Year!

Alan

You as well!

I had no idea you wore glasses Alan :-) Merry Christmas!

Quote from: AlanSummers on September 22, 2017, 09:43:23 PM
Great!

Although haibun is fully booked this year, and already someone has paid to be on next year's course, we do have two spaces left on haiku, one on senryu...

But we are as excited about this year, and next year, as course participants are really making a difference.

e.g.

At the Vancouver Cherry Blossom competition, for instance, we have ten participants in the results!
http://www.vcbf.ca/haiku-invitational/winning-haiku/2017-winning-haiku

It's nigh on impossible, after hundreds of thousand of haikai verses over centuries, there is something still fresh to say.

warm regards,
Alan

Quote from: justlikeyou on September 22, 2017, 07:30:50 PM

Quote from: AlanSummers on September 22, 2017, 05:03:53 PM
You can also email us to be on the list for our next news:
admin@callofthepage.org

Done! Thank you kind Sir. :-)

That's very cool Alan that you have so many student entrants in the VCBC. And yes, cherry blossoms must be a tough subject by now. Here in the yard we have two apple trees, and this year planted pear and plum. We plan on cherry next spring. I hope to get a chance to see cherry blossoms up close and personal in the not too distant future. An opportunity I haven't had since taking up writing little poems. :-)

Quote from: AlanSummers on September 22, 2017, 05:03:53 PM
You can also email us to be on the list for our next news:
admin@callofthepage.org

Done! Thank you kind Sir. :-)

Quote from: AlanSummers on September 22, 2017, 03:41:13 PM
Wow, the haibun course sold out fast!  Karen has now put up the next one, starting in January 2018:
https://www.callofthepage.org/learning/online-courses/haibun-courses/


Spaces still available for haiku and tanka, though senryu is nearly booked up.
https://www.callofthepage.org/learning/online-courses/

Second link not working :-)

Will you being doing other classes Feb or Mar?

Two years ago I helped a local organization do a similar migration to a new hosting service and a  complete website remake. It was a freaking nightmare...taking much time to resolve. I can fully appreciate what is going on here. My sincere gratitude to Dave and Mike, for all the tough stuff, and for making it all possible.

Lorraine is correct. However the problem is with the mobile version of the site. All the links on the mobile home page - except for the Facebook link - just circle back around to the home page. A frustrating problem for the mobile users. Someone will need to update the mobile links it seems.

Lorin, a most interesting share. Thank you.

Jane is one of three important teachers of mine. Her instructions for the new haiku writer are priceless in my book. I hadn't read much beyond that, by Jane that is, and so had never seen this aspect of her. She sounds very much like a fierce grizzly momma bear protecting her cubs. Then again, we are all capable of that if need be.  ;D

"I am not one who is sensitive on the issue. I feel my haiku are 'given to me' ... and do not feel that they are 'mine' in any way."

These are words of a Master.

ff, I don't have a problem with "crow babies". Nor "baby crows" or "crow chicks". Hope that helps.

Reading "A Dictionary of Haiku" second edition, by Jane Reichhold, I stumbled across this haunting haiku today.

dangerous weather
such a perfect day for stepping
off a cliff