Thursday, April 09, 2020

My Reply, His Reply, My Final Reply

Read the last post for the previous posts I was reacting to.
My name is Chad Parenteau. I have been writing poetry for over thirty years. I hold an MFA. My work has appeared in a variety of publications both in print and online. I have books and chapbooks published and forthcoming. I have published other poets aside from Oddball. I have attended and held various workshops. And I host a weekly poetry venue. None of this is relevant to your deliberate bad behavior, but you asked. I am responsible for the posting of content at Oddball. I created the concept of the "poet columnist" on this site. I have worked with previously unpublished artists and writers to become regular contributors. I stand by all my contributors and every decision I've made with regards to publishing with Oddball. I'm not here to defend any of my contributors. They do not need defending. I'm here to tell you this: Go away. I could say, "If you don't like what you're reading, leave." But this not the case of a lone critic. I know who your are. I see your posts. I see who you've been attacking specifically. I have your comments regarding "Literary Justice Warriors" both in our feedback box and screen-captured. By the end of this week, I will be deleting your comments, as well as my reply on this post. The poet here has suffered enough from your actions. Go and soil our pages no further.

His reply: Hey, Chad, I really enjoy adult discussions like this about poetry. Thanks for responding so maturely to my legitimate but admittedly personal opinions about the quality of work you publish in “Oddball.” Whatever your qualifications, your taste is pretty feeble. And as far as my comments about “Literary Justice Warriors” go, instead of covering your ears and squealing, “I can’t hear youuuu,” why not consider the issue like a grown-up? I stand by my observation that today poets of color, women and LGBT poets are no longer being marginalized. My final reply: Mr. Carter, I stand by the fact that this is not your forum to attack other poets because of how they identify themselves. I’m no stranger to so-called “free speech” issues such as yours. It’s not worth having you attack my poets. You don’t like the state of poetry, I suggest you do what any of us should do: Go away and write more poetry. You are not welcome here. In any capacity.

Or you can read the original post before I delete it all.

 Edit: Never mind. I've deleted them all.
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