Here's the thing about me. I am a no nonsense type of person. I tell it like it is. I use poetry as an outlet to express my experiences, emotions and even once in a while, to say something funny. I prefer old fashioned poetry with structure, meter and, yes, rhyme. I know that most poetry of today is nothing more than well written paragraphs broken up in random locations, and much as that bothers me, I still enjoy reading them most of the time. I have even attempted to write a few freestyle poems myself. Of course, since I am not a fan of that style, they didn't turn out very well. (Oh Great Bard of Avon, I know you are spinning in your grave.) When reading my poetry it is obvious that my greatest influences are Shakespeare and Poe but what most people don't know it that I am also a fan of John Updike (though you may not know his poetry, you may know his screenplay, "The Witches of Eastwick") One last thing, DO NOT ask me for my opinion of your poetry or other prose if you don't really want to know. I will tell you what I think. I am not worried about hurting your feelings, I am concerned with helping you create great poetry. If I hurt your feelings, suck it up! You're a poet, write about it! If you don't ask me I won't tell you if I don't like it but I will tell you if I do like it.