I don't know where Jonathon is, I have been waiting for him to announce the June winner, but since it is now August and he hasn't been here to announce any contests, let alone the June winner, I thought perhaps I should let you know the winner...

Congratulations to raj for 'star link'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/poems/star-link-choka-june-contest

Sorry raj, you'll have to wait for your prize until Jonathon returns

Does anyone know if he is alright?

My apologies to all, especially those in the workshop, for not having commented for a while.... things have been a little hectic in my part of the world

My boss (and friend) died, and my time has been taken up with a consequential increase in my work responibilities....

I imagine that I will be back with you all within the fortnight...
love judy
xxx

I'm off tomorrow to Brisbane, to visit my sister. I'll have limited access to internet for a week, so I apologise to the workshops I am involved in, if I'm awol and a little late on occasion.
xxx

and Jess, possum, I'll be in Sydney for a week after that. Maybe you'll be well enough for a coffee and hug. I'll call you.
xxx

Is anybody else having problems getting onto the stream or undiscovered work....
or is it just me?
Every time I try, I get a page of over 1,000 edit updates
.??

http://www.neopoet.com/workshop/humor-poetry

this shop has had to be postponed until, hopefully, 28th January...
so great news, all you peoples who might have been away for holidays will most likely be back and able to join us....

come along - it should be fun

Meanwhile, let's wish Chrys a speedy recovery from her surgery xxx

love judy
xxx

but I can promise you, won’t be needing me in that capacity if you join my upcoming workshop. It will be casual and free of any stress - so no ulcers or heart attacks are expected.

fixed verse – it's not a curse

It’s intending to run over many weeks, so come and go as you like, learn different forms of poetry, try your hand at those that interest you..

wes and I would love to see you all there.

love judy
xxx

but you will feel better about fixed verse :)

Like music, poetry has many rhythm forms. Poetry uses forms and conventions to suggest differential interpretation to words or to evoke emotive responses.

Specific poetic forms have been developed by many cultures. In more developed, closed or "received" poetic forms, the rhyming scheme, meter and other elements of a poem are based on sets of rules, ranging from the relatively loose rules that govern the construction of an elegy to the highly formalized structure of the villanelle.

no – not really

but now I have your attention, come check out my first workshop ‘constructive critique’, and consider joining us.

http://www.neopoet.com/workshop/critique-workshop-positive-critiques

let’s see if we can really start helping each other, in a productive and non-intrusive way, using the tools of critique

would love to see you all there
love judy
xxx

Come join me in my first workshop ‘positive critiques’

Together let’s examine some of the tools used in the art of forming a constructive critique, and put some of them to use…

I look forward to this my first shop – come support me, and hopefully, we will all learn something of value regarding critiquing poetry.

love judy
xxx

sometimes i itch to change just one word, or insert or remove a bit of punctuation in one of my works, but am reluctant to, as an edit would take it to the top of the stream and i feel bad when i've not really edited as such...

is there any way around this?
- perhaps something could be installed to allow us to prevent a poem going to the top of the stream in these cases?

how do others feel i wonder?