Thanks to Stephanie Young, http://stephanieyoung.blogspot.com/, for mentioning fait accompli on her blog. In discussing the Valery quote below about silence, unhappiness and the need for vagueness at times she writes:
" I'm a lurker because, yes, I'm scared of being either attacked or ignored, and because the yes, war-like, call & response of the Poetics list isn't one that allows me to take a quick dip in the waters of how-to-quit-smoking or, as you've seen and will seen more of, true poetic confessions in the midst of articulating my response. But I also lurk instead of engaging b/c I've been unable to figure out how to be vague in public.... I am tired of being sad and unhappy!

Some folks are great switch hitters for both the listserv and the blog-- Kasey and Gary are the first ones I think of but as more people hop the blog train I bet we'll see more articulations all over the place. As Nada said -- party over here! Party over there!"

After 9/11 I needed the list so I learned a lot about hanging in there. I learned it is necessary to speak back to people who insult you. If they insult you indirectly, then speak back indirectly. You can speak back "words of wisdom" and you don't have to insult them back. This creates a vicious cycle. You're right that the key is to not be silent but to hang in and say something, even if you have to feel your way to what it is you mean. Bullies like to get their victims to back down, and I find when it is other poets their unconscious, if not conscious wish is to get you to stop publishing what they consider your "bad poetry." What I've learned is that many other poets will consider your poem "bad" when they they find your poems in books, in anthologies or praised by other poets. Thanks again for your kind mention of fait accompli.