Oh yes. It's so easy to criticise without offering a constructive thought. Let's just knock down the whole edifice - after all, there's not even a smidgeon of worthwhile substance within it.

How grand it must be - how satisfying - to be so sure of one's own opinion, feeling, belief or being that one can attempt to demolish others with not a spec of concern.

How lonely it must be to live within such arrogance and contempt for others that in spite of perhaps the disguise of occasional surface politeness, those who meet you very quickly see your condescension and take steps to keep their difference.

I'm not sure whether one ought to feel sad for those self-styled arbiters of what constitutes worth but I certainly think little attention should be payed to their words.

I have no interest in fawning and shallow utterances of how wonderful my work is considered. I am too rough, ready and down to earth for that. However, although I don't suggest I compare at all favourably with him, so were D.H.Lawrence & Ernest Hemingway.

Harry, I commend you for understanding what it is to write for expression, feeling, contribution, humour or even catharsis. Oh that I were not as serious as I am but there is hope for me yet, for I learn from others, such as yourself. (If that sounds to be a back-handed compliment, I apologise for it isn't meant that way.)

Thank you for this one.

Take care. Stay safe. ☮️