To L

did belatedly occur to me, portmanteau. (Seattle anonymous here again.) Those who aren't willing to give p. the benefit of the doubt here should perhaps look up the meaning of "portmanteau," and then think again, as I now have.

I should've thought harder in the first place, since first, this is a poem where one would hope the poet has deliberated over each word choice and since, second, this is a well-written poem, as almost all the commentators have noted. Thus, I should have extended the benefit of the doubt from the get-go.

My good sense and judgment were overcome by the fact that, in the prose writings we find here, this "error" is indeed one of my pet peeves.

My apologies, portmanteau.

I hate commenting on my own poem, but I felt the need to add the petty footnote that taut/taught was a pun. The L in question was a dancer, hence the "taught-thighed". I counted on the benefit of the doubt, as I didn't expect the "dancerness" to come through strong, but I am a stickler for such things as well and am too vain to not say anything. Again, sorry.

I'm embarrassed I missed what Seattle pointed out. And I understand, belatedly, Anonymous' "dictionary" reference. The poem is perhaps not quite as taut as I thought. Still, arrogant derision is uncalled for, especially against a piece of art that is otherwise pretty damned good. Still a 100 in my view: the word can be edited.

I suspect what set the original anonymous off was the misuse of "taughtly" for "tautly" in the poem's very first word.

Enough care is exhibited in the rest of the piece (as others have noted) that this poor usage might have been overlooked.

It's worth mentioning here only because the same poor usage is rampant at Literotica, despite the error having been pointed out many, many times.

If you learned something from a teacher, you were taught. There is no word "taughtly" in this sense.

If something is stretched tight, or gives that appearance, it's "taut." The usage extends into the metaphorical: a tight and well-run ship, for example, could be a "taut" ship. "Tautly-thighed" is what was needed here.

Spelling and usage errors do not, in general, ruin an otherwise well-written (or just plain hot) piece. Likewise, just getting the basics right won't salvage a poorly-plotted piece of crap. But such errors do detract from what might otherwise be unreserved enjoyment. And they often sink more marginal efforts.

And let's please get over the idea that "anonymous" comments are somehow MORE anonymous than comments contributed by those with pen names. So you sign your letter "Blowjob Bunny"? How is that any closer to a "real" identity?

When you find your dictionary, your name is mentioned in two places, both under 'A'. Asshole and Arsehole, which is also applicable to both the Male and Female forms.

I fear that the roving poetic "Anonymous" comes from the Poetic circle and drops in on all or most of new poets, or those commenting on poetry. "Her" task is to dissuade newcomers that present a threat to her measly ambitions. Anyone that gives a fine piece of poetry a 'zero' must have an ulterior motive. I would suggest that Literotica make attempts to weed out this person and exact justice. Many of us have a good idea who 'she' is and its time it stopped.

This tightly-wrought poem bears reading and re-reading, examination and re-examination, beyond just the knee-jerk first reaction it may elicit; which, for me, was mildly evocative of an erotic situation, but a bit confusing in spots. Then again, I'm a bit dense sometimes.

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Technical prowess holds me like glue, though, and this poem has it. The poem is written in dimeter, in case anyone was wondering. The first line of each stanza is usually made of a spondee and a trochee, and the second line of each stanza is invariably comprised of two amphibrachs. The last two lines of each vary, with dactyls, more amphibrachs, and iambs. If anyone thinks this was unintentional on the part of the poet, try coming up with that by accident.

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I could go on and on, mentioning other areas of technical finesse, but I need to get to the laundromat to wash some clothes (hint). If Anonymous has an unabridged dictionary, he should cut a hole out of the pages and place his head in it for safe-keeping.

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Great poem, please give us more.

it doesn't take much to get mentioned, does it. Have you a dictionary handy?

Here:

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?p=23989517#post23989517