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In the Shadows

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You’re out there in the shadows of cyber space Your presence un-nerves me Hiding Lurking Following my every move Hanging onto each word I write Yet you remain … Silent Contact me …you know where to find me Tell me what I’ve done wrong Don’t leave me with these loose ends Free me… Release me from this pain Written after seeing names on my 'followers' list who are not visibly active on soup 25th April 2016

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Paul Callus

Date: 4/27/2016 6:51:00 AM

Well expressed, Jan. I also noticed that I am being followed by ETs. Some people who I follow are not even included, either. Hugs .... paul

Jan Allison
Date: 4/27/2016 7:41:00 AM

I would rather get a notification of a comment rather than one that someone is 'following me' it will not change my way of reading poems as I will always choose from the new poems posted list:-) hugs Jan xx

James Inman

Date: 4/27/2016 6:07:00 AM

Wonderful Jan. I must agree with you on the follow list. I read a lot of different poems and, like everyone, lean toward certain poets styles. It doesn't mean I like other poets any less. I have many favorite poems of poets I enjoy who are not on my "Follow Poet" list. I hope they will appreciate my visits anyway. As for not leaving comments, I enjoy the comments but I don't expect everyone to comment on every poem they visit. I just hope they find something useful when they read them.

Jan Allison
Date: 4/27/2016 7:39:00 AM

Thanks James as long as my poems are read that is the most important thing - I will continue to use the new poems list to choose what poems I read. I just many of the people who are on my 'followers' list as they are no longer visibly active on the site - i just hope they are ok:-) hugs Jan xx

Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 4/27/2016 3:18:00 AM

Jan, A great tribute to those poets who are not around much anymore. I like the new features but am still learning how to work them! : )

Jan Allison
Date: 4/27/2016 3:23:00 AM

There are people on my list who are no longer visibly active - I hope they come out of the shadows and say hello:-) I dont like the new feature Connie would turn it off if I could - I want to see notification of comments on my poems and replies to my comments without having to go to the in box all the time as the notifications are going to be less frequent for now:-( hugs Jan xx

Brian Davey

Date: 4/26/2016 2:36:00 AM

Kind of creepy Jan but good of you to bring it to attention!!

Jan Allison
Date: 4/26/2016 2:41:00 AM

I will be happy when I no longer get notifications of 'followers' i have my favourite poets list and am happy people like my work and favourite me but it will not influence my reading - I go by the new poems list and choose my reading from their and will continue to do this:-) hugs jan xx

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 4/25/2016 11:56:00 PM

I think the list is silly!! Can't believe the folks who actually think it's a cool thing. WHATEVER. I enjoyed this one, Jan.

Jan Allison
Date: 4/26/2016 1:50:00 AM

I hope we can turn the feature off - I have my fave poets but I choose the poems i read from the new poems list - If I just went to my fave's list I would never see poems by other people - I browse the new poems list and read if the title grabs me, the categories it is in and then who the writer is - i do gravitate towards humourous writes too:-) hugs Jan xx

Lu Loo

Date: 4/25/2016 6:05:00 PM

I feel the same way lady Jan. I got a little creeped out from my follower list. I have never heard of any of them. I enjoy what I do now. Reading from the new poems list. Seems to work best for me anyways. About the who follows me list, I got upset from it. My feelings were hurt because I didn't have many followers. I know that is my problem but I would've rather enjoyed not knowing. I like a few of the new options but I think I am being overly sensitive about the followers..be blessed -luloo :)

Caycay Jennings
Date: 4/29/2016 12:23:00 PM

Honey, I have seen your poem pages and you have many dedicated followers, they just don't show on this list I have yet to fully understand. Do people choose to be on it? Do y'all know I'm writing this or are there no notifications? No worries, you are indeed a sought after poet - I hug you and promise. CayCay

Jan Allison
Date: 4/25/2016 6:13:00 PM

I am happy to see my fave list LuLoo but will continue to view poems from the new poems list and if i can turn off the followers feature I will - am happy for people to enjoy my work but I can see it turning into a kindergarten - you fave me i'll fave you - I just want to write and read poems:-) hugs Jan xx

Tim Smith

Date: 4/25/2016 4:47:00 PM

I cant add anyone...when they started that poets I follow poems feature I only had me and the collab accounts as favs...I started to add people as I read their new poems or they commented on mine. But unfortunately that feature is now "silent" for me.

Jan Allison
Date: 4/25/2016 4:51:00 PM

I will stick with my faves list and add to it - am happy people enjoy my poetry but I want to read widely and i do that from the new poems list - if i stuck to my faves list I would never have time to read elsewhere:-( hugs Jan xx

Casarah Nance

Date: 4/25/2016 4:05:00 PM

Allpoetry has the same feature as this, same as it would be on facebook, ext. it feels funny cause there are people you don't expect to follow you and visa versa, you get shocked when someone you talk to everyday isn't following you, but then again when you are so used to just seeing someone on you read their work.Some of the changes are going to be hard to get used to. hugs xx

Jan Allison
Date: 4/25/2016 4:10:00 PM

Thanks Cas:-) I don't do 2facedbook maybe why this feature makes me feel uncomfortable - will be glad if we can turn off the notification mail of who is following us - was happy just to have my faves list - I would rather they sorted out jumping comments and not being able to read soup mails we sent :-) hugs Jan xx

Mark Woods

Date: 4/25/2016 1:50:00 PM

Some of the new features are cool, others not so cool. I did have my poets I follow list down to diddly squat as I would just search names to get their new poems. I do like the new poems of poets I follow feature though as that saves a lot of searching.

Jan Allison
Date: 4/25/2016 3:04:00 PM

I like to see the new poems list and choose from their - not necessarily go to people I 'favourite' I gravitate towards humourous poems first or one's where the title and categories grab my attention. I am happy to have my 'favourite poets' list but the 'followers list I don;t like and will turn off notifications if that option becomes available:-) hugs Jan

Anne-Lise Andresen

Date: 4/25/2016 1:03:00 PM

- I'm sorry, but there are a lot of "crap" in the shadows here on "soup" - both visible and invisible ...... what we need is: SPRING CLEANING FROM THE BASEMENT TO THE ROOF - A great poem, dear Jan - hugs // Sun :)

Jan Allison
Date: 4/25/2016 1:06:00 PM

I am happy to have my 'faves' list Anne lise but I really am not bothered to know who 'follows' me - i can't see what improvement it is to the site - Every e mail I get telling me I have a 'follower' makes me feel uncomfortable - I wish they'd left it as us just having our faves:-( hugs jan xx

Bl Devnath

Date: 4/25/2016 9:47:00 AM

Yes, i have contacted to you and have followed. Beautiful style you have chosen my lovely friend. Loved always, bl

Jan Allison
Date: 4/25/2016 10:47:00 AM

Thanks as ever BL:-) hugs Jan xx

Stephen Pennell

Date: 4/25/2016 9:12:00 AM

I've got a big spot light aimed at you and a roll of the drums for jan the star of the show

Stephen Pennell
Date: 4/25/2016 11:38:00 AM

yeah great write keep them coming and yes deffo smile

Jan Allison
Date: 4/25/2016 10:46:00 AM

lol You do make me smile Stephen:-) as long as my humourous poems make you smile that is the most important thing to me:-) hugs Jan xx

J. Tudor

Date: 4/25/2016 9:00:00 AM

I never even knew you could "follow" a person, though as of yesterday I now see a link to do so! How did I miss that? I follow you by reading, you always make me laugh, though I don't always tell you so. You made me laugh just yesterday morning. :) J.

Jan Allison
Date: 4/25/2016 1:07:00 PM

I was happy with the 'fave' feature I do not see what the 'follower' feature adds - I wont use it:-( hugs jan xx

J. Tudor
Date: 4/25/2016 11:51:00 AM

I understand, and in some ways, I feel kind of like you do...so I will pretend it is not there. What I never knew, I still don't know.!

Jan Allison
Date: 4/25/2016 10:45:00 AM

It is a new feature that appeared yesterday -I don't particualry like it and wish we could turn off the e mail that we receive every time i get one I feel like I'm being stalked:-( hugs jan xx

Demetrios Trifiatis

Date: 4/25/2016 7:55:00 AM

Well, dear Jan, the rest of us who are visible and are not hiding we shout: Your poetry is beautiful as you are! Hugs!

Jan Allison
Date: 4/25/2016 8:15:00 AM

Aww thanks Demetrios:-) hugs jan xx