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Harry Horsman

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Born in Skipton raised in the village of addingham in wharfedale, moved to New Zealand for 36 years, now a resident of Perth Western Australia, i have 2 sons 3 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren..Sons were born in the uk, 2 grandchildren in New Zealand, 1 grandchild and 4 great grandchildren are true blue aussies.

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100 BEST ALL TIME POEMS

Blog Posted by Harry Horsman: 9/12/2022 7:12:00 AM

Here we go again, a subject which is brought up from time to time, and a couple of time recently, one a couple of blogs below mine. The charts here on Soup. This time 'the 100 best all time poems' Don't have a problem with the beginning, but not too far down from the top, anomallies start. Anyhow to make a point i'll go to the 100th placing, which as at the time of writing 383 hits, can't blame the poets it is not any of us individually, that has any control. My point is i have here on soup 973 poems with more hits, and yet not one on the chart.. I do believe if we are to have these sort of measures, they should be at least workable, afterall are they not there to record the best and so on.. Oh by the way i digress, I love satistics, and cannot abide inaccurate sums. Thats why i very rarely look at these charts we have here. Only when the topic araises do i feel a need to.

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Constance
La France

Date: 9/14/2022 12:36:00 PM

I don't even look at lists on PS as they do not matter, I don't need to make a list to know my poetry is good, what matters to me is that I write the best I can and those who read my poetry usually love my poetry, so I write on... let it go , blessings ~

Michael
Tor

Date: 9/13/2022 10:12:00 PM

One thing is for sure this topic stirs emotions in most of us. Recognition is nice but what I feel a more notable truth is not being chosen on that list but knowing in your own heart that you wrote a poem that you felt was a wonderful achievement by you, and your feelings for what you have written. We use others to gauge our success when we should be our own judges and that is ok by me. Who is the best judge for your poetry and all the feelings and emotions and thoughts and effort put in, it is you, so whose opinion should count the most, it is yours. Write and be happy, share with others, enjoy other Poets and Poetess. Your reward is their comments, and the relationship you have with your

Michael Tor
Date: 9/14/2022 2:19:00 AM

I hear you Harry.

Harry Horsman
Date: 9/14/2022 1:39:00 AM

Thanks Michael. you are a wonderful friend, and i agree regarding lists, but if we have them, they must be right, if only to reward those whom deserve to be on them. This subject, does raise its head often here on soup. So i thought i'd have a go as well, does tend to bring out some off subject rebel rousers.

Michael Tor
Date: 9/13/2022 10:13:00 PM

peers.. Harry I think you are one of the best writers here on the Soup whether your on a list or not, the list does not influence me in your ability as a writer it is your thoughts put into words and shown through your awesome Poetry...

John
Lawless

Date: 9/13/2022 12:25:00 PM

LIES - DAMN LIES - AND STATISTICS......There are certain poets on soup whose work I seek out and read. I also peruse the posted poems and read about 15-20 a day, commenting on many. I also Have a list of my favorite poets....guess who is in the #1 spot...heheheheheeee

Hilo
Poet

Date: 9/13/2022 9:34:00 AM

Being liked via faves, comments, and viewership at any given time presents the impetus for TPS to recognize it upon whatever list they befittingly choose. A scheming few list-seekers can efficiently manipulate such methods, and so I find any list on this website--disappointing. It takes talent to recognize a genuine written masterpiece worthy of an honorable listing, and not sham it with a few "dreadful" repeats. In my recent blog, I did a change from membership awards to cash prizes for the stated reason, and now I'll no longer offer membership awards to winners, only cash prizes giving them the choice to buy them if they choose to--some latest winners bought clothes and comfortable shoes.

Susan
Woodrow

Date: 9/12/2022 4:39:00 PM

Harry, I’m going to play devil’s advocate here and challenge your love of statistics which i feel as math, is an approximation at best and a very misleading fallacy at worst… it’s only closer to accurate the bigger the sample size, and otherwise a way to justify ways to treat people collectively based on biased controlled groupings for predictions…it tends to forget individuality altogether which as we know in the arts, is extremely important, and yet artistic talents wish to be rated nonetheless - you’ re in the top 50 here as far as I’m concerned but then i am just one as opposed to thousands… :)

Harry Horsman
Date: 9/13/2022 1:16:00 AM

thanks for your input Milton.

L Milton Hankins
Date: 9/12/2022 7:06:00 PM

Susan, I couldn't agree more. I think you have struck at the very heart of the problem with "lists," particularly the ones here at Soup.

Susan Woodrow
Date: 9/12/2022 6:51:00 PM

Harry, you got me blabbering when you said you loved statistics- it was the very worst maths type i ever had to do!! I think I’m still traumatized by it ! :))

Harry Horsman
Date: 9/12/2022 6:47:00 PM

believe it or not I Do agree with you Susan,

Susan Woodrow
Date: 9/12/2022 6:39:00 PM

Precisely, Arlo.. with all the confounding variables that one has to consider, unless criteria are spelled out precisely, there are so many quantitative and qualitative ways and then tastes change over time etc so there’s really no way of saying- that was always the beauty of art but when you start to rate it, it loses a lot; we forget ‘the beholder’ quote as we fuss over mass distinctions :)

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 9/12/2022 5:53:00 PM

Nicely said, Susan.

Terry
Flood

Date: 9/12/2022 12:18:00 PM

Statistics, statistics, don’t you just love them. I can’t remember which of my poems it is, but it supposedly has something like 1400 hits, but half a dozen comments (all positive). I long since worked out that when a poem is a touch lengthy, most of those hits were readers saying ‘not likely, Pal’ and quickly moving on. Not a reliable guide, then. Of course, it could be that I just write garbage… Ho hum!

Terry Flood
Date: 9/13/2022 7:15:00 AM

You say the kindest things, Jeff. Terry (ye olde scribe of the garbage). ;-)

Jeff Kyser
Date: 9/13/2022 7:04:00 AM

Yup, post 50 liner and a monoku at the same time and watch the views, lol. We live in the twitterverse. I guess if we can’t get it perfect in one line it is a bit much to expect we’ll have it in 50, lol. I love your poems, short or long, Terry - my kind of garbage!

Frederic
Parker

Date: 9/12/2022 12:14:00 PM

Let it go guys, it's not that important, I've been on this site for 10 yrs and in all that time I don't remember my avatar being on the home page...

Frederic Parker
Date: 9/13/2022 4:00:00 PM

Milton. I get it, I'm retired 71 yrs old, but then again I live in Florida, near the ocean, so there's fishing, gardening, and hanging out in the sun, my avatar was taken right down the street, so there are palm trees breezes, sunsets

John Lawless
Date: 9/13/2022 12:18:00 PM

however,,,, I don't think there is a any recognition of any member without and avatar....just that blank face

L Milton Hankins
Date: 9/12/2022 7:09:00 PM

I understand, Frederick, but you must also realize that some of us are old, retired people who have nothing better to do than spend our time here at the Soup. It's the perfect place for me to participate and I do so with fervor and enthusiasm. Writing is actually more than a hobby with me. OTOH, the lists mean next to nothing to me [despite what some people think]. Anyone who wants my place on any of the lists can have it, but the powers that be say it has to be earned! So be it. Those who don't participate to that level have no reason to complain. What upsets me is the unfairness of some of the so-called "top" lists.

Jenna Logan
Date: 9/12/2022 6:20:00 PM

I have a life, too….an active happy one, but I’m in the fortunate position of working from home most days where PS is only a click away.

Frederic Parker
Date: 9/12/2022 5:32:00 PM

If that is the case then it will never be on the home page, I actually have a life...

L Milton Hankins
Date: 9/12/2022 3:53:00 PM

Amen! Frederic. I figured out the avatar on the home page has to do with how active you are on the site. It's available to anyone, actually, but who cares????

L Milton
Hankins

Date: 9/12/2022 8:21:00 AM

Lest I be accused of sour grapes (and who cares) I'll say this. I have thousands of poems on Poetry Soup, but obviously none of them are worthy of that list. Yet if not one of mine is better than some on that list, perhaps I should give up writing. (chuckling) Frankly, popularity is not an accurate judge of quality, period. I shudder when I think that P.O.T.D. is REALLY the best poem of the day. No way! But it should be.

Sara Kendrick
Date: 9/13/2022 1:12:00 PM

I think poem of the day is the one that gets the most comments in a day's time but I really haven't looked at the rules. I have one poem that has over 13,000 hits that is people looking at it but not that many comments which is on the list of most popular of all time or something like that. It is not the greatest poem, but it is unique. Sara

L Milton Hankins
Date: 9/12/2022 7:14:00 PM

Andrea, I suggested to Administration that they monitor the P.O.T.D. I got nothing out of them except an admission that they "didn't have time" to read through the poems every day. Interesting, since I HAVE TIME TO READ THROUGH THEM EVERY DAY!!!

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 9/12/2022 5:28:00 PM

I agree with both of you on POTD's . I wish some person was monitoring them. One time a really vulgar one got through and some of us told Soup about It. It got taken down!

Jenna Logan
Date: 9/12/2022 2:27:00 PM

I agree with all your statements, Milt. POTD is a sham, not an honor, and I base my opinion on the many that are as you called them, 'dreadful.' If an algorithm chooses a poem with no comments and is dreadful, wherein lies the reason for it to be recognized as a poem of the day? It's like throwing 1,000 poems in a barrel and fishing one out. Meaningless, and I have never congratulated a potd that I didn't feel worthy of being highlighted as a good poem. It's hypocritical to do so. My opinion may be worthless to most of you, but it's MY opinion. Frederic is right in saying, 'It's not important. Let it go.'

L Milton Hankins
Date: 9/12/2022 10:12:00 AM

So, in the future, I am only congratulating poets whose poems are superb and who are deserving of the honor of P.O.T.D., period.

L Milton Hankins
Date: 9/12/2022 10:11:00 AM

Andrea, I went for months without a poem listed on "Top 100 New." I figured I just didn't write well enough to get on it. But, then, I read the poems on "Top 100--All Time" and realized I had never written anything worthy of a place on it, but there are absolutely dreadful poems on that list. Of course, I'm not going to point them out. That would be utterly crass. But, I'm a believer that honors should be earned, fair, and live up to their name. In my humble opinion, P.O.T.D. is a big joke. Some of the poems that make P.O.T.D. are, to put it mildly, simply dreadful. I hate congratulating people for their P.O.T.D. when it is a poem which does not deserve recognition, period.

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 9/12/2022 9:35:00 AM

You are 58 on Best NEW poems (a list which I think is inaccurately titled). Last week I happened upon that list and noted that my poem was around 54 or something like that. Today I'm up to number 4 with a poem that did not even do very well in the contest into which it was entered. You and others that are good community builders are almost always likely to be on that particular list about which I am talking.

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 9/12/2022 9:31:00 AM

Milt, it would be far more accurate to rename that list as (poems with the most faves ever on Soup). then it would be an accurate portrayal of what it really is. BUT in order for THAT to be fair, the powers that be need to be very sure that indeed, the poems on that list garnered the most Faves of any other poems and that is what landed their poem on that list. I think Best new Poems should also be renamed: Most faved current poems at Soup. People have to be diligent to visit other poems and comment. Otherwise, their poems can truly be "the best" but without community participation, they will never be recognized. I am going to "best new poems" right now to see if you are on that one.

Andrea
Dietrich

Date: 9/12/2022 7:42:00 AM

It's not right if the calculations are not being totaled fairly, Harry. Wish they'd give some answers. Like you, I rarely check all these lists. out. I only hear results when my friends come and tell me, "Hey, you have a new poem that is at fifth place" or something like that. Otherwise, I am clueless. POTD's is another thing I don't pay attention to. I only know I got one when people start congratulating me for it. I see your point here.

Harry
Horsman

Date: 9/12/2022 7:33:00 AM

I thought it were computers that did these, To be honest this particular chart and those like them, would be extremely difficult to measure because the figures are changing daily, therefore a chart should have a correct count up to say 31st dec 2021. and them a annual chart for them all.

Sara
Kendrick

Date: 9/12/2022 7:23:00 AM

I haven't checked out the math. I thought it was computer generated so it would be accurate if the computer is working correctly. LOL..Sara..Maybe it is human computers and they do tend to error.

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100 BEST ALL TIME POEMS

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