I think a grading system helps in determining a standard for where the person is in regards to their poems. If the poem you wrote is very emotionally jarring then I generally won't do my grading system, or if you find it unhelpful but still like my comments I also can leave it out. It just helps me if I go back through my old comments about someone to see what I thought previously about the author, and to see if what I said has helped them improve. The only goal of it is to show people that I care enough about their work to give it an arbitrary number grade. Also, if for instance today I gave you a 4/10, and tomorrow you take what I said about your poems and apply some of the thoughts that I put forth I would then maybe give a 7/10 or 9/10. It is just helpful in my mind. My personal opinion is that on a creativity website like this it helps to have constructive criticism. And, in the post modern age that we live in I find it helpful to have some kind of object tangible thing to go by.

Would it be helpful if I charted out why I give certain grades, and post that on my wall? I am just attempting to be helpful and spurn people on to do better in regards to their works of art.