P&Q: The Golden Years and the Old Crowd

I don't know who else still comes here, if anyone, but if you ever find your way back, I hope you remember that once upon a time, this little corner of the internet was our secret gem.

We came from different worlds, carrying our own luggage of pain and thus judgments and prejudices, often misunderstanding one another, yet somehow we kept meeting in the same place, in our love for words, poetry, and the strange little world we built here. These now-empty forums saw rage yet also saw love and humor and compassion. I miss them all.

We grew older, life carried us to places none of us could have imagined, some disappeared and some are no longer here at all, but for a while, despite our differences and everything we thought we knew about one another, we were here together, and in my heart I hope you remember that golden little chapter too.

I hope everyone is satisfied wherever life has taken them now, even those who will never read this. I’ll always be grateful for the friendships I made here, for those I’m still connected to, and for those who remain in my heart.

I won't add much as you have said everything and said it so eloquently, Rania. I joined this site in 2015 and it became incredibly important to me over the course of a few years. I spend a good deal of time on All poetry now which is a particularly busy site but it doesn't have that special something that this place had. 'Intimacy' is perhaps the word. Poems and quotes had already peaked when I joined but it was busy enough to know I was part of something special. Anyway, I still think about this old place a lot and carry what is, perhaps, a foolish wish that it could be the same one day. I, too, hope everyone is well, safe and happy.

Ben <3

I miss you all so much. Always grateful for everyone here and for this place and community.

I am really wanting to post poetry again. Maybe that can help me ground and reconnect some.

Sending lots of love and I really hope everyone's been doing okay.

I do like this gem. Glad to see familiar “faces”.(aliases)

Very eloquently and well-said Rania. I miss this site too. I stumbled upon it not long after a divorce and had no idea there was a place where people who loved to write could share their work. Some of the poems I read at the time were absolutely beautiful and very inspiring. It really did help to have an outlet for what needed to get out. I still check in from time to time and read what others have posted, but I rarely write much anymore.

I never really was involved much in the forums, so I don't know many people on here as others would. I just liked to read other's poetry and post my own. I did learn a lot from others' writing styles though, notably Ben Pickard's and a few others. That older English style or writing is something I really enjoy.

I hope you're all well, all the every best to all of you. May only the best of this life find you at every corner and if you happen to believe in an afterlife, may that be even better. And thank you Rania for starting this thread :)

<3 <3 <3 to all of you

Even though I check in regularly, it is nothing like the old days. The club wars (contests); the flame wars (no contest); the weird discussion threads; the honest poetry advice.

I still check in every now and then, post a poem if I have a recent one I want to share but I miss everyone. Life's very different for me these days, busy, good, but this place got me there. The people, contests, wisdom, love and poetry kept me alive.
Rania, thank you for this. And hey to the old crowd.