This is just a friendly reminder from Professor Miller that I need for you to do two things in your comments on others' poetry. Even if you like the poem, we all know none of us are perfect. I know I certainly am not! So knowing that--and knowing that we are trying to help each other improve--I have asked everyone to leave at least one suggestion for improvement with your comment, however minor it might be. For example, you can simply point out a place that confused you a bit. That counts. You do not need to be harsh or spend a ton of time on every single poem. But I'm serious about this point, and I have mentioned it a few times, but it doesn't seem to be working.
I know it is easier to praise, and you all seem like such wonderfully nice people. It might seem wrong to some of you to be even a little critical, but it's not. It is actually more kind and more generous to offer helpful suggestions. Praise is more valuable when it is balanced, and I know we all want to get better. So please begin offering at least one suggestion for improvement to most of your comments. I can only remind you so many times about this before I am forced to take it into account in terms of your grades. I don't want to have to do that. Plus every single poem we all write cannot be a complete work of genius. We all know that, I think.
The other thing I have asked is to use the vocabulary for poetry that we are learning in class--even if only a word or two in each comment. I know it might seem weird using words you have just learned, as opposed to ones you are comfortable and familiar with, but these words came into existence for a reason! They help us to communicate ideas about poetry more precisely and accurately. Once you use the vocabulary of poetry a little, it will start to feel more natural to you, and learning these terms will allow you to be more helpful to others. Thank you!
