VII.
The Pro Circuit
1. Will
You Ever Be Poet Laureate?
2. What
It Takes To Go Pro...Could You Do It?
3. Connections
4. Should
Poets Be Paid?
1. Will
You Ever Be Poet Laureate?
If
you have reached your 40's and have not devoted the
last twenty years of your life to getting a name by
attending classes, being mentored by a "biggie,"
attending scores of workshops and summer programs throughout
the country, 99% of you can kiss the Poet Laureate job
bye-bye. It doesn't happen because you are a great poet.
It doesn't happen by osmosis. It happens because of
a planned course of action... an obsession, in most
instances. You should have the desire to write great
poetry. We all do. However, most great poets never become
well-known poets. And, if you will pull out one of your
modern American poetry anthologies, you will readily
note that the quality of many poems probably does not
exceed your finest stuff. So, unless you are prepared
to change your entire lifestyle so that someone knows
your name when you are dead, give up on the "let's
get famous" stuff and settle down to the writing
of great poetry.
2. What
It Takes To Go Pro...Could You Do It?
We
were struck, when watching the PBS Poetry Series, by
the absolute single-minded pursuit of fame that characterized
Robert Frost. Frost sold his home, left his work, and
took his wife and many children to Europe in search
of making a name for himself as a poet. They suffered
hardships and dedicated themselves only to this goal.
After RF made a success in England, he return to the
United States with credentials and the rest, as they
say, is Poetry History.
Are you ready to be a professional poet? Very few of
you will make much money or become famous. Most of you
will have to be content to go in one of two directions.
First, you could be an academic... make your livelihood
by teaching a few college poetry classes and write on
the side. Or, you could be peripatetic -- wandering
from workshop to workshop, grant to grant, trying to
eke out a living and writing on the side. The field
is not what it was in years gone by. Don't give up the
day job just yet.
3. Connections
Recently,
one of our members shared a copy of a new magazine.
It was a revelation. Most of the poetry was written
by top of the line name poets. Even though much of the
poetry wasn't the greatest, the poets...
Wow, the poets! How could this be? It didn't take long
to figure it out. One of the workshop regulars decided
to start up a magazine. By using the contacts from the
poetry workshops around the country, s/he was able to
write or call and get some tremendous support for Vol.1,
No. 1. We were, of course, a tad jealous until we read
our latest volume.
We realized what wonderful names our poets have and
how we love to see those unfamous but most welcome names
in our postbox. We have the quality because it was built
from scratch not because we knew someone.
Our pride is not in one issue. It is in all of them...
about twenty five by now.
4. Should
Poets Be Paid?
We
had a poet chasten us a few year back about free readings
and giving our services to the community. The admonition
was that poets are professionals who should be paid
for their efforts. Why did that stick in our poetic
craw? Simple. This is a world in which there is far
too little respect for poets and poetry and anything
that limits or restricts our building positive bridges
between poets and their potential audience is not only
selfish, but also self-defeating.
We are not stupid! We'd like to make a buck from the
myriad hours devoted to The Comstock Review and Poetpourri,
Jr. However, if we get into personal aggrandizement
our financial rewards will be meager and our dreams
for what poetry could mean to the "masses"
will be dead. While it would be nice to live in a world
where we could be paid... until this community, any
community recognizes the intrinsic value of poetry,
it is our obligation to do whatever it takes to create
an atmosphere wherein poets can someday be financially
rewarded for their efforts.
Next
Page - Part VIII. Humor
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