By Way Of Explanation
Mar. 11th, 2007 12:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloI have a lot of poems lying around- mostly dating from the 1990s. Poetry was what I did before I discovered LJ.
I published quite a few in poetry magazines, but- really- that's more or less the same as putting them straight in the waste-bin, isn't it?
My experience of the poetry world- even at a low level- is that it's all about schmoozing and log-rolling and back-biting and ass-licking and really the thought of getting involved in all that makes me sick.
The world is full of poets. There are thousands, millions, cawing and clawing for attention. At any given time only one or two of them will be any good.
I used to "work" as a poetry reviewer. It got to be soul-destroying. So much utter cack.
But as Orson Welles said, "no professional artist sets out to do bad work"- so it behooves one to be kind.
I don't know if my poems are any good- the odds are very much against it- but I'm fond of them.
Which is why I drop one into the discourse every now and then.
I published quite a few in poetry magazines, but- really- that's more or less the same as putting them straight in the waste-bin, isn't it?
My experience of the poetry world- even at a low level- is that it's all about schmoozing and log-rolling and back-biting and ass-licking and really the thought of getting involved in all that makes me sick.
The world is full of poets. There are thousands, millions, cawing and clawing for attention. At any given time only one or two of them will be any good.
I used to "work" as a poetry reviewer. It got to be soul-destroying. So much utter cack.
But as Orson Welles said, "no professional artist sets out to do bad work"- so it behooves one to be kind.
I don't know if my poems are any good- the odds are very much against it- but I'm fond of them.
Which is why I drop one into the discourse every now and then.
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no subject
Date: 2007-03-11 03:42 pm (UTC)My experience of the poetry world- even at a low level- is that it's all about schmoozing and log-rolling and back-biting and ass-licking and really the thought of getting involved in all that makes me sick.
Admittedly I have been involved only in the speculative poetry world, but that has not been my experience.
I don't know if my poems are any good- the odds are very much against it
They are.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-11 04:27 pm (UTC)From what I've seen of it- through LJ- the world of speculative poetry seems very friendly- familial even.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-11 09:19 pm (UTC)No, just selfish: I'd like to read more.
From what I've seen of it- through LJ- the world of speculative poetry seems very friendly- familial even.
I'm sure there are death feuds, but I haven't been the victim of any yet.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-11 06:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-11 08:52 pm (UTC)And, yes, I will....
no subject
Date: 2007-03-12 09:17 am (UTC)In any generation one or two poets break away from the pack and become national or even international figures.
The chances of success must be akin to those of winning the lottery.