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800 Hits Just Last Friday

I had 800 hits on my site just last Friday
But twenty-nine poems reported as read!
So, I wonder what message was really intended,
My verse that explosive in somebody's head?

In years past PH (1) friend who was also a poet,
Egyptian named Merov (who knows, what is true?)
Well, he promised to put me on top of the ratings,
I told him, "No thank you!" what else could I do?

The best poets should rise if it's fate with their muses,
Just one of its flaws that few folks here discern,
But at PH the staff treat all poets like children,
They stop with the basics, play games, and aid spurn!

The real key to high ratings on PH is social,
“I’ll comment and rate yours (if you do the same!)”
Though our poems innocuous both get high ratings
That pull in more readers (you all know your name!)

Heartfelt comments I think are the best one can hope for
A ten out of ten may sound good but says less,
Any fool can give 'tens,' but a friend shares their feelings
Some barter for fame that no heart would confess!

Is it right to deny poets power to format,
To place words on pages as muse tells them to?
E. E. Cummings dismissed as a bull in a tea shop,
And all free-form verse relegated to zoo?

So was Merov the troll that once doctored friend's ratings?
Still, website's designed so a fool can deface? (2)
Just use multiple names, for there's no adult checking,
Then play with your site, let sick pride map your space!


Brian Johnston
14th of October 2018

Poet's Notes:
(1) PH stands for the PoemHunter.com website where I also publish my work. The criticism of formating problems also applies to PoetrySoup! I am grateful that PoetrySoup dropped numerical grading some time back. But I think for PoetrySoup to have a most read poem feature that included the sites most popular poems would be nice!
(2) Again just on PoemHunter you can create multiple login ID's which allows you to give yourself fake poem scores and to comment your own poetry. Again PoetrySoup wisely avoids such problems with a minimal charge! Restrictions here on comment space are the worst "Feature!"

Copyright © Brian Johnston | Year Posted 2018

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Jan Allison Date: 10/15/2018 5:01:00 PM Very well penned Brian. Seems the problem isn't just on PH I've seen it on PS too with multiple accounts. PS does have a 'best new poems list', but before it was changed one poet had 50 of the 100 places, thank goodness it has now changed. Soup also has poem of the day (which can be easily manipulated I can predict when a certain poet will get it) and they also have a Poem of the week but this can only be seen if you go to the Poem of the day and click the link. Login to Reply

Chris Green Date: 10/15/2018 2:45:00 PM All poetry sites have similar problems and all poetry sites have trolls and other assorted troublemakers. I have been on many different sites and they are all the same. But I do completely understand where you are coming from with this poem and I think it is well written and gets your point across nicely. Login to Reply