HERE’S an unusual thing for an editor to admit – but I’ve never been the greatest fan of poetry. Maybe it has something to do with my childhood when my father would, John Gielgud-like, quote lines of verse with the passion of a Shakespearean actor. William Blake’s ‘Tiger Tiger’ was his favourite.
I guess mine was a knee-jerk reaction to poetry. I didn’t understand it and I didn’t like it. Give me a good novel any day.
So it is surprising, perhaps, that I’ve introduced a poetry corner to the Adver this week. In truth, the motivator was a friend who has been trying to kindle an interest in verse and who has given me a recommended reading list – which includes Blake!
She, too, is like my father. And is able to rattle off lines of poetry without a second thought.
“How do you remember all those lines?” I asked. “What do you see?”
“I just see the words in the book,” she replied, admitting her father too was someone with a passion for poetry who didn’t need an excuse to set off on a manic monologue.
I have been pleasantly surprised by the response from readers to poetry corner. Since introducing the column on the letters page last Monday, we have been receiving a regular trickle of poems on subjects as diverse as the railway village, war, tea, care in the community and good old love.
Here’s a new platform for readers. Poetry should be fun, it should be lively it should be thought-provoking. I’m looking for contributions from a range of writers. Poetry shouldn’t be stuffy, poetry is a wonderful way of communication.
And so I hope Poetry Corner continues to prove popular.

Right…to your comments.

Where do I stand on the whaling issue, Lord Belacqua aka Dan? Slight ambivalence, if truth be told. This is never an issue which I get hot under the collar about. We need to protect our planet, but equally you can’t ignore some of the commercial realities of life. Organisations such as Greenpeace provide important checks and balances. That’s a very sit on the fence answer, but this is an issue I don’t lose sleep over at night.

To An Idea, chairperson of the pro-Beck’s supporter fans club….with the comments on the Adver website, we choose which articles can be commented on, and with can’t. For example, with the Myra Cabrera inquest this week when a verdict of unlawful killing was given, it would have been ideal to have had an on-line debate about the issue, but the dangers were too great. Instead, we invited comments only through letters and e-mails, so we could control the debate a lot tighter.
Interestingly, the editor of the South Wales Argus has taken a hard line to stop personal insults and disguised obscenities from being posted as comments to stories on the newspaper’s website. He has promised that comments on stories will be deleted from its website if they contain personal insults against individuals.
Here’s what Gerry Keighley had to say: "We've reached the point where we have to send a clear message to the minority who are disrupting our websites' reader interaction facility. They feel they can post insults and disguised obscenities carte blanche under some sort of freedom of speech agenda.
"What they are actually doing is ruining the credibility of our websites and driving serious debaters away.
"I'm quite happy to host the rough and tumble of robust debate on controversial topics, but when we can't even publish a picture of a young mum without unpleasant people unleashing hurtful comments about her appearance, action has to be taken.
"Media commentators are describing some interactive sites as bear gardens and I don't want ours to carry such a description.
"We usually remove unpleasant comments anyway but readers often see them before they're taken off and wonder why we have allowed them. Now we have made it clear that such comments are not welcome and will not be tolerated."
The following the message has now been posted on the Argus website:
"The South Wales Argus website hosts comments on stories on the basis that we expect readers to respond, if they wish, with civil and rational argument. We do not respond when we are attacked because people have a right to express opinions on our work, whether we think they are fair or not.
"But some contributors seem to think our website gives them a free opportunity to unleash personal insults against individuals. This is unacceptable and, although the site is unmoderated, we will remove such comments at the first possible opportunity."

Interesting idea…any thoughts?

And as for Becky aka mumstheword – email me with your details, and we’ll arrange a work attachment at the Adver.

If you’ve got a question, or a point to make, then do leave your comments and I will respond to them next week.