Community Forum

Theories, because we are each entitled to our own opinion. To date I have only offered one poem here of my own, and I rated my own poem with one star. In fairness I feel this is what it is worth; I have some I would give a six or seven if I could. I am rating poems on things that I like to see, in what by my personal observation makes a good, great, or not so good work.

It doesn't have to be absolutely necessary but I am a big fan of meter, that is, I like to feel some sense of underlying beat. It doesn't have to be constant, but I like to feel some rhythm. There are definite exceptions.

A poem may have form that is OK, not great, but it may speak to my heart and I am compelled to up it by a star.

A poem that has no meter and bad or no punctuation and sounds more like something an average person thinks or speaks out loud than a poem will probably get two stars from me.

I have a hard time giving only one star; I have yet to do so, it will happen eventually but I know some effort went into writing it.

I have given three stars to some poems already, either well written poems or those which have been bumped up a notch for deep, heartfelt content.

I am reserving four or five stars for real good or masterpiece works.

Those are my thoughts. What are your thoughts on ratings?