Not at the Cove, of course, you're all lovely.
But there's no denying that some poetry communities and slam poetry events can attract some rather pretentious people, especially those with a superiority complex. Have you ever encountered anyone like this? What happened? How did you deal with it?
There was a time I definitely felt like I was getting scolded or spoken to like a child, which didn't sit well with me. No other person in this class spoke to me the same way, and I'm pretty self-aware so something was probably up with him. He was talking about his poem once and used a word I hadn't heard before, so I asked him what that meant and he made me feel like the biggest idiot. He even did that thing where he side-eyed everyone else in the room with a bewildered smirk on his face and said 'um... you don't know what [word] means?' No, Bobby. I can't know everything.
That was my experience, now share yours!
I have no time for people who belittle others for remaining teachable. There was a time when he didn't know that word either. Not sure if it counts, but I once began to fall for a guy who professed himself a poet. Took me embarrassingly long to realise he was ripping off other people's work.
@Shen Friebe
My worst experience with another poet came from 2019.
To be fair,I work with them a year prior and actually enjoy working with them.
However,around the start of 2019,I was going through the motions,however,I can always count on those lovely poets right....Right???
Well,it wasn't one poet per se,it was collection of them.
At the time,there was an app call groupme,along with Facebook.
And I was told the date is,March ?? ????,and I thought,cool.
I plan on doing two performances on that night.Then it got changed to another date.
Okay cool,one Uber trip save for another time and I can focus more on the pieces.Then the worst part came.
Now,looking back on it,this also fall on me too.
I call poets who were helping out with showcase.Just for feedback purposes,also they were kind enough to let me not go to meetings.Even though I thought about going,they are in those positions for reason.
Yet,with this particular poet,who I respect by the way,I email my pieces.
No reply.I think I email the person again.Still,no reply.Then they reply?????
11 days later.......
So let me get this straight.
I Uber to ones college to do a showcase.Raise awareness for mental health,in my feelings,I felt connection.
On top of that,I had two different date changes,in 2019.And then someone tells me to send the pieces away via email.Then takes 11 days to get back to me????????????
I understand there will be times where I send poems for submissions and may take weeks to hear back.Made sense now,back then,especially with working with college kids,and I like alot of them.
This was a slap in the face.
Nowadays,I made peace with the events that happen.
Yet,this event specifically made have gotten me out of poetry.
Side note:Now I'm back in,yes I will monetize my poems,eventually,yet what I am starting to find is process is one big passion project and focusing on real quick results will get one out of their journey.Along with understanding lies are comfortable,truth isn't.