Aphelion

Wow. I think I'm with Bill on this. If this poet had an ego before, it's bound to be dead on the floor now.

I couldn't see any Specfic element, so I didn't understand why it was here on Aphelion. Is it remarkable? Well, no, not that I could see, but I didn't think it deserved such abuse. At the least, I could identify with his loss.

Perhaps it's the show of critique power of poet vs. poet that's dropped my jaw. I've written a few pieces of poetry, but have never considered myself a poet. I don't often comment on them for that reason.

Maybe this is the kind of comment a poet needs, but it doesn't sound like very constructive criticism from a layman's POV. I've skewered many a soul on their fiction, but I think only once could I not find something good to point out in the critique.

Food for thought.

I think I may have written something similar to this myself once -- but I didn't show it to anyone, nor would I (if I actually had written it). I found out long ago that, no matter who I invited to my pity-parties, no one showed up. Misery may love company, but the company doesn't return that love (as above posters have proven, with extreme prejudice).

Other than that, where's the science-fiction/fantasy/horror content that would make this poem relevant to this site?

Does it really have to have these things to be published on Aphelion?

Well, I thought so . . . and once more, I pay the price for having expectations.

I wasn't complaining, by the way, just stating that my expectations of this site had been confounded. We may all henceforth disregard them and continue to enjoy the 'zine.

Nice poem, Bill; I really liked the last line.

Really, anyone can write poetry - just writing GOOD poetry is difficult for we mere mortals.

Man, is it ever! I've gotten myself enmired in a sci-fi poem . . . it's been in the works for a year now (mostly neglected during that time). Trying to get it done -- in a way I can be satisfied with -- is like carving stone with a wooden chisel.

I don't know who said it, but "There are no finished poems -- only abandoned ones."

I have the experience to understand that.

Oh, and just by the way, I DID have a reason for my expectations as to the sci-fi, etc. content here . . .

Submission Guidelines
Aphelion Webzine is a fanzine which publishes original science-fiction, fantasy, and horror fiction, poetry, and features.

I'm sure I'm not the only person who would interpret that as "original fiction, poetry, and features in the science-fiction, fantasy, and horror genres".

Arguably, you could parse that so that "science-fiction, fantasy, and horror" refers to "fiction" only, and "poetry, and features" are less restricted in terms of genre.

("Never mind what I said. You know very well what I meant."

Anybody remember where that line (or words to that effect) came from?)

RM

Post subject: Depends on what your definition of "is" is

Thanks for the belly-laugh!

It's already in Iain's inbox, along with particulars -- but it's still not finished. I welcome your comments, though, and I'm grateful for your assistance.

Thank you.