I think we all wear a mask at some time or another, even Leonard… Does anyone know the real Leonard? I don’t think so; probably not even the man himself. We’ve all pretended to be ok at times when we’re clearly not, but you put on a brave face and a smile just so you don’t make others feel bad. A mask doesn’t have to be a bad thing, it may be a form protecting yourself or even protecting other people, who knows, that’s why they’re called masks, you never know what’s behind them.
And as for this Poetry section or ‘the back room of the forum’; I always liked that description, it makes it sound mysterious, like a speak-easy in the times of prohibition or a dimly lit Soho bar where people chat and laugh in lowered voices, and you know you shouldn’t be there but you’re lured in by the whispers, the laughter, the music, and the wisdom or jocularity of others words. It’s a place where everybody can have a voice no matter how big or small, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, or what you have or haven’t got. You can pour your heart out onto the page or just sit quietly and take in what other people are thinking or feeling, and maybe gain comfort from realising you are not alone or as strange as you think you are! You may not know who’s who; even if you think you do you are probably wrong, but Hey Ho, do we ever know who anyone really is (Ah, there’s that mask thing again)??
The one thing you have to remember about this ‘backroom of the forum’ is never to take it to seriously (a lesson I was taught when I first happened by here), and enjoy it for what it is!
Cate wrote
I don’t think it has anything to do with being unwelcoming (challenging maybe, but never unwelcoming), after all you have anonymity if you want it so it doesn’t matter what people say, they don’t know you so you can’t take things personally. I think people’s lives and circumstances change, people move on or they just feel like they don’t have anything to say at that particular time. Just because you don’t speak it doesn’t mean you’re not in the room!I'm not sure why less people post, it could be as you said that it's (we're) just not welcoming and they're afraid to, or that they don't like what they see here, or that people are choosing to share other places.
I do miss the days of Alsiony’s thought provoking poems, cate’s erotic and sensuous imagery of her poetry (always loved the moon ones) and violets deep, sometimes disturbing thoughts and feelings. When constructive criticism was both encouraged and helpful. I miss little kwills with her quiff and her mischievous sense of humour, Geoffrey’s ‘Sad Old Man’ music clips (you’re not sad Geoffrey)
, and the harmless multi personalities of other forum members (you know who you are! Well I hope you do cos we don’t), and all the other poets, protagonists, writers, musicians, artist, thinkers, dreamers and anyone else who’s just passing through!This ‘backroom of the forum’, like all the other places on the forum, is what we choose to make it.
Karren B
xx