Letter from hurt and bewildered by Abby G Poetry to the world…

For the last 18 months I have attended The Platform, a poetry group where we read our poetry. I have always enjoyed it and met such great people.

I think it was in June that the leader, who calls herself Abby G Poetree, messaged me a horrid message that she gets complaints about me. It was particularly upsetting as I had left a zoom meeting in tears because I minimise my ill health and other problems in my life, like the pile of water above my ceiling. I was shocked and hurt. Why tell me? I don’t repeat what others say.

I replied to the effect that why should she hold back? And I posted in the group page that if anyone wants to complain about me they should talk to me. This was greeted with an angry emoji from Abby and her boyfriend. What has it to do with him?

Apparently, it was unacceptable to carry on talking to someone who asked me a question while we had a cyber intruder.

Abby posted that the page was for poetry only, although someone else had posted a political petition.

I removed my post and messaged Abby that I did not like her boyfriend’s attitude – the angry emoji. She responded with ‘Do you think everything is about you?’ and that she is fair to everyone. I had no idea what she meant so she explained that her boyfriend had whispered about muting somebody who was strumming their guitar while someone was reading. I had been oblivious to this.

I replied to this effect and was there anything else she would like to accuse me of. She iterated that she is fair to everyone.

No. She always chooses the same group of people to read first. She compliments them. She has never complimented me.

Time passed and I found myself unable to join zoom meetings. Then I messaged the effect her attack had had on me. I got no reply.

Then last night I was locked out of a zoom meeting. I was bewildered and very hurt. I phoned her phone hoping she would realise her mistake. I left a message in the group page. When I got to the page it was deleted and then I was no longer a member of the group. I was frozen out with no dialogue. Just silent passive agression. I know Paul Harris has a hand in here.

I messaged her. She told me she never wants to hear from me again, she is fair.

She encourages everyone but me. She has never paid me a compliment or asked me to read as first one. She does not go round in any systematic way, just where her eyes lead her.

I am punched in the gut. I considered her a friend. She has been a guest at my home, and we’ve spent time together. I don’t recognise her. An apology doesn’t seem to occur to her.