To Post Or Not To Post...

…is the question that’s been crossing my mind a lot these days.

I’ve been writing under the name Dasuntoucha for about 4 years now and have had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with some truly talented and motivated poets, largely thru on-line writing groups and poetry boards. Recently at one of my favorite poetry spots, there was some drama with the ownership that prompted me to delete my account because quite frankly, I felt the way that the situation was being handled was totally unprofessional and underhanded. While an owner of any given board or site has the right to do what they see fit, a member has a right to do what they feel is in their best interest. I don’t harbor any ill will toward anyone involved, but I made a personal vow back in 2007 not to solicit any writing community where the ownership is in any way, shape, or form is deceitful or disrespectful to those who help facilitate the day to day operations, because 9 times out of 10 it is their commitment that ensures writers keep coming back.

Even though some of my work has been published in a few literary journals and poetic anthologies, it is the joy of being able to read and share with others, whether novice or pro, that I have come to cherish. I guess I’m like that playground basketball player that should be playing in the pros but laces up his shoes and plays not for fortune or fame but for the sheer LOVE of the game. It’s picking the right court to scribe on that makes all the difference.

And in that regard I have been blessed.

I started out here with an outstanding ensemble of writers when Tom’s space was the place to be, then moved on to this community where I encountered some of the best undiscovered writers I’ve ever read, while also witnessing the pain one person’s maniacal ego can cause. But luckily, a large amount of the talent from that board moved here to what I consider my TRUE poetic home. It was only out of searching for other writing spots to expand my horizons that I was able to find this place which was as advertised, the hottest, realest, most active black poetry spot on the web. Here I made connections with what I would like to consider life-long writing comrades.

I will never forget the relationships I forged with poets and writers from these various boards…they are some truly gifted people driven not by ego but an unadulterated LOVE of words.

As we know, the writing life can be a solitary endeavor, but at least on-line if you choose to, you can post with crew…just choose where you post wisely.