Editing poetry....

Every four weeks or so I have the (enviable? dreaded?) task of reading and choosing from other people's work (for an online publication). This can lead to a bizarre clash of perosnal sensibilities over objective discrimination; but in the end all choice is subjective, never more so than where poetry or art is concerned. I find myself relying on instinct a lot of the time; although experience has taught me to recognise poems that while I may not find them terribly exciting, will interest or move others.

Mostly though one needs to go with intuition, with a subconscious recognition of an indefinable "something" in the work. I beleive that poetry should (whether it is narrative driven or image based) interact witht eh reader on a level that evokes response, emotes, creates ambiance, conjures pictures and feeligns. Some of the best examples bypass the rational mind completely and hit the soft spot in the brain that makes us react to beauty.

I love and dread reading other people's poetry, when the choice is to publish or not. Equally I dread people reading mine with the same objective in mind. I am humbled and bewildered when people accept a submission - when they actually solicit a poem I love them, instantly and unconditionally.

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