Me and poetry...
You know what? I'm taking down this post. It was misunderstood.
Truth be told, I'm not concerned about the mistakes other people did/didn't make. I just wanted to tell you all that I'm writing kids' books lately, and loving it.
I was just thinking about poetry, and how poetry can be complicated for me, and I got tangled up the (poetry) news. Such as it is.
I don't have time to be mad at people, unless I'm REALLY mad, or they've been torturing babies or something.
10 Comments:
As I said on Seth's blog, this should surprise and enrage me, but it doesn't. It's more of the same old po-biz bullshit I've encountered since I began publishing. From Jorie Graham right on down the line. It's a big circle jerk and only a few folks are invited to unzip and join.
I like Bruce's vision. I hope it arrives sooner than later.
Bruce's vision is fine by me, too.
And "famous" poets makes me laugh.
I applaud your "coming out" Laurel.
The world of training, of MFAs, etc., can be quite useful, can cram tons of wisdom and craft into a very short period of time.
The side effect, though, must be reckoned with: An insiduous "box" from which we have to emerge.
If we are artists at all, of any kind, extrovert, introvert, whatever.
Instead of careerist donkeys.
Ok here's the crank post from an always already private poet (and not-so-closeted theory fan):
(with the caveat that I haven't found a way to actually practice what I'm about to preach)
which is:
Less kvetching, more writing! The more energy you give it, the more powerful it gets. I don't know who Jim Burhle (sp?) is, but he spent some serious, serious time photocopying, scanning, and highlighting online profiles...the poetry police? I give that one a big puh-leeze. In the week he spent detectiving and complaining to Scrivner he might have produced at least a poem or two. Sent out a job application. Or had a nice conversation with someone he likes. Or felt maybe less bitter and angry. Doesn't make the nepotism any less ugly or unfair, but it might make you as a person a bit more immune to its slings and arrows. And a better friend/mentor/writer/teacher, who might in turn-- tikkun olam-- reap the benefit of something like community, which is the flip side of all this.
And everybody knows that the Amazon reviews a)mean nothing because b) they are almost always padded in more or less the same way Jim documented.
Of course, we should all be so lucky and carefree and zen, and I wasted a half hour reading the stuff and composing this post, so there it is.
Ah, Miss Margaret. YOu are, of course, correct.
Everyone is correct.
Love!
My wife put a nice review of my first book of poems, _The Tongue_, on Amazon.com, but, unlike Ms. Harwood/Mrs. Lehman/whoever, she was up front about who she was.
Tom C. Hunley
I just came back from the event series I run, introducing two old friends to a crowd at a bar series. I also went to the new John Lennon documentary this weekend, painted a painting, went to a reading Friday night, wrote a poem for someone, am working on anothe r poem about an old LA Dodger. If you're really worried about me, don't be. I heard a few great poets Friday night. I walked around the city a bunch of times, taking it all in--I also happen to have time to follow up on this Lehman nonsense: they posted in an earlier removed post about what a loser I am and how sad it must be to be me. Now...
So, thanks for the post--I don't know who *you* are, either...
xxxjimmy
Hmm... didn't Homer S. once say, "Less Artsy, more fartsy!"
Good cue to take, I'd say. Who cares what anyone but the chick in the mirror thinks. Don't sell out by getting frustrated at the sell-outs.
I like that bit about "wonderful conversations" best. If even that were true . . .
I love you. I understand what you are saying. You know what? I'm writing novels and loving it!
Don't be afraid. Write whatever the hell you want. Use your talents. To hell with everyone else.
fishies get chompy in a small pond.
I'm so loving having moved back to the city!!
art everywhere all the time! new fantastic creative intelligent friends. and GUYS my approximate AGE to date. holy hotcakes.
only downside is missing my ever-most-favorite artistic genius friends far across this wide map.
someday: art farm.
miss. love.
s.
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