Spare Me Disaffected Trolls

Spare me the agonizing of disaffected trolls Who find nothing of substance worthy of note, Desperately seeking a modicum of control Their unconcealed nastiness a matter of rote. Have they nothing better to do with their time Than to criticize the successes of legitimate poets Who, themselves, have difficulty making a rhyme, But coming up with a dig, they promptly throw it. Let’s preserve Poetry Soup from this pitiful type Who comes here only to stir and create turmoil, Making sure not to give them impetus or hype In another place may they find more welcome soil. Doing all we can to maintain peace and goodwill Let’s keep Poetry Soup free of fractious voices, Being careful not to engage in avoidable overkill, But never failing to silence disconcerting noises. Written May 17, 2022