Passions in Poetry News

February 17, 1999: It's been all of two weeks since our last update, by far the longest I've ever gone without adding new poems to the web site. Now, before you get out the horse whips, let me explain.

Part of the problem has come from an unexpectedly wild response to our first issue of Digital Passions. If you haven't read it yet, you can find it posted off this page, and if you haven't subscribed yet - well, please do so before you miss the next issue. In our first issue of the free magazine, I threw out a few ideas for enhancements to Passions - and the response was tremendous. A lot of my time has been spent trying to make good on those promises. And, yes, the next week should see some really remarkable things happening on your favorite poetry site. So, stay tuned!

Another part of the problem has been the result of our rapid growth. Remember when we moved from the old URL, back in January, and I explained we had been dropped from the Excite search engine? Well, we're back... Couple the traffic we've been getting all along from Yahoo! with the new traffic from Excite (and a few other great links), and we've been very, very busy. I'm sure not complaining, mind you, but the increase in the number of poems submitted has risen just as sharply. As has the email I answer every day. It's a wonderful problem to have, but it has kept me away from the database too much.

Finally, I spent an inordinate amount of time this past week sorting through the votes for January's favorite poems. There were certainly a lot more of them than during December, and I'm afraid it was one part of the database system that had never been automated. So I had to sort and enter each one by hand, a task I will not have to do again, I promise you. It is now entirely automated. But be that as it may, we do have a list of the favorite poems for January. And, yes, there were a few surprises...

But, in spite of the recent problems, the web site now has over 100 more poems than it did yesterday, and I think you'll agree there are some real gems in the new bunch. We're attracting some wonderfully talented poets, people with both insight and beauty to share. I think you'll agree it was worth a two week wait.

Okay, guys and gals, am I forgiven? A little bit? Hey, would you put those whips away, please? You're making me nervous.

I promise - it won't happen again!