When I ask if poetry is dead...I'm asking if a person can still become successful by writing poetry. The last successful person I heard of, who wrote poetry, was Maya Angelou. Now maybe this is because I'm not that into poetry (I write but I don't read it) or have friends who are...but it just seems to me that poetry is no longer a thing that a person can live off of. Is that really how it is or am I just not realizing other factors?
Is poetry dead?
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Depends on your definition of succesful. Do you mean rich and become a full time poet? Then i would say there have been very few in the history of poetry that has been succesful. If you mean a person whose poems are read long after they are dead. I would say that it is alive and well.
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Just my take, but poetry is only 'dead' in the eyes of contemporary book publishers and book agents. At least this is what several of them have told me. I even had the head of a prominent publishing house read my entire poetry devotional, (half the poems already singly published), and tell me he loved it--but he couldn't go with it because "poetry doesn't sell" and because books of that type almost always need color photography--which adds to the cost/risk for any publisher. Because of that, if you ask me if you can make a living on it, I'd say not likely, unless (maybe) you're a poet laureate.
Doesn't mean it's not a worthwhile pursuit, though. Just don't quit your day job.
Doesn't mean it's not a worthwhile pursuit, though. Just don't quit your day job.
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"I'm not a poet, but I play one on TV..."
If you don't even read it yourself, how would you know what makes other people want to buy it? Moreover, if you don't read it yourself, why do you write it?
I'm baffled.
If you don't even read it yourself, how would you know what makes other people want to buy it? Moreover, if you don't read it yourself, why do you write it?
I'm baffled.
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We kill a lot of poetry around here, don't we?
The dead stuff is dead, but the rest is still at least twitching.
People who bend poetically most likely always will. I don't think they can breed it out of us.
The dead stuff is dead, but the rest is still at least twitching.
People who bend poetically most likely always will. I don't think they can breed it out of us.
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Poetry is only dead if people allow it to be. And apparently it is alive and well, judging by the previous responses. The question of popularity is a whole other matter. Then again, why should we ever do or not do something based on what is in 'style' or majority? Poetry has it's own audience just as sci-fi, fantasy, and non-fiction have theirs.
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the original post angers me too much to give a shit about answering. i do feel better for having stated why i refuse to answer though. but just a tad better. damn.
Tons of questions directed to me and not enough opinions towards the topic. Why do I need to clarify myself in order for someone to state whether or not they think poetry is dead? I didn't post the question to baffle anyone or upset anyone. Just wanted to get people's take on the topic.
I have heard a lot of people stating (and I some what believe) poetry is dead or at least dying. Not that it's not being written because people write everyday (yes even a non-reader like myself). It's just that people don't talk about poetry anymore...people don't boast poetry anymore...and I don't know to many that read poetry. Honestly, outside of your circle of friends who write...who do you know reads poetry? I can't think of anyone. That's the reason why it seems to be on a downward slope.
I have heard a lot of people stating (and I some what believe) poetry is dead or at least dying. Not that it's not being written because people write everyday (yes even a non-reader like myself). It's just that people don't talk about poetry anymore...people don't boast poetry anymore...and I don't know to many that read poetry. Honestly, outside of your circle of friends who write...who do you know reads poetry? I can't think of anyone. That's the reason why it seems to be on a downward slope.
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If poetry is dead, there are a hell of a lot of necrophiliacs out there - tens or hundreds on this site, hundreds or thousands of other poetry sites on the web. No one is forced to read all of those.
Because very often the people who waltz in and post these types of questions never read poetry and are basing their assumptions on thin air. And often those people are being intentionally antagonistic.
Your post states you don't read poetry or know anybody who does. So therefore you make a statement that poetry must be dead. Right, and I don't play soccer, or know anybody who does, so obviously the sport of soccer is dead and buried.
Plus, your post is all based around what you define as a successful poet, which appears to be making a living from writing poetry. And then you mention Maya Angelou as an example of a successful poet, as in, someone who has made her living from her poetry. Maya Angelou, famous because of her amazing autobiographical work, so who can't actually be said to have made a living from her poetry, and who, to my knowledge, has never claimed to have made a living from her poetry. I'm not denying she's a good poet and worthy of the Pulitzer she won; what i am pointing out is the flaw in your perceived argument.
So if you march in and make a blanket statement about 1) what you perceive successful to be and 2) what you perceive a successful poet to be, without actually making any proper, logical case for those statements, then yeah, people might start directing questions back to you. And rightly so.
Making a living from poetry is probably not the best criteria of success or greatness, anyway. Robert Frost was a farmer, William Carlos Williams was a doctor, and Wallace Stevens was an insurance agent.
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I could have saved some time by just pointing back to Isaac's post, but here's my version.
That might be an indication that your question wasn't clear. Don't blame the people who took the time to read and respond. Let's say fifteen people read your question. If fourteen of them thought it wasn't clear, where is the problem likely to be: the way they read it, or the way you wrote it?
And you *did* get people's take on the topic. Read all the posts. You got plenty of serious and thoughtful responses - more than you could possibly have expected, especially given that you don't even read the stuff yourself. If you bothered to read poetry, you might be farther along on the answer. And you really can't expect people to spend much time on answering your question if you don't care enough to read poetry on your own; don't you think you've answered your own question anyway?
There is at least one excellent thread in here on this subject. Have a read through this thread and see if you still want to discuss. (For future reference, the Search tool here can be pretty helpful - third from the right on the menu bar above.)
That might be an indication that your question wasn't clear. Don't blame the people who took the time to read and respond. Let's say fifteen people read your question. If fourteen of them thought it wasn't clear, where is the problem likely to be: the way they read it, or the way you wrote it?
And you *did* get people's take on the topic. Read all the posts. You got plenty of serious and thoughtful responses - more than you could possibly have expected, especially given that you don't even read the stuff yourself. If you bothered to read poetry, you might be farther along on the answer. And you really can't expect people to spend much time on answering your question if you don't care enough to read poetry on your own; don't you think you've answered your own question anyway?
There is at least one excellent thread in here on this subject. Have a read through this thread and see if you still want to discuss. (For future reference, the Search tool here can be pretty helpful - third from the right on the menu bar above.)
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Poetry is not dead, but it is certainly in decline in terms of its influence in the world at large and even in the world of literature. The reasons for this are probably complex, having to do with fundamental changes in the nature of mankind as well as the normal ebb and flow between different forms of literature. Whether this decline is leading to death (with death defined in terms of influence, not in terms of prosperity) or whether poetry will snap out of it is a question that will be determined over the next century. Both influence and prosperity are related to sales and usage. Sales are down, I believe. Usage too is down, despite the many open mics and slams.
I'm not optimistic.
Best regards,
NDG
I'm not optimistic.
Best regards,
NDG
Alive
I truly understand your question and I can honestly appreciate your take on this topic. However I would like to give my feedback.
Poetry will never die because it's the soul of a writer.
As long as there's an idea, a paper, pen or a computer....poetry will always be around.
I will keep you posted once my book is published. I am surely looking forward to putting some life back into Poerty
Be blessed.
I truly understand your question and I can honestly appreciate your take on this topic. However I would like to give my feedback.
Poetry will never die because it's the soul of a writer.
As long as there's an idea, a paper, pen or a computer....poetry will always be around.
I will keep you posted once my book is published. I am surely looking forward to putting some life back into Poerty
Be blessed.
To Curious1980:
I read your initial post, and read most of the reply posts; then viewed your profile page, and other threads and posts that are listed on your personal page. IMHO, I don't believe you meant any harm; you're just inquisitive. That's not a bad thing, but can certainly be misunderstood when motive and context come into play. Hey, Poets are like anyone else, in that they will protect the significance of their craft; are you really surprised that other members aggressively questioned your question? You're a screenplay and stageplay writer, correct? If a nonfiction book author posted a thread in one of those forums, and asked why people bother to write such things - while admitting that they neither write nor watch either - would you not wonder [aloud] why that person would care?
Now, about your question: The spoken word will never die. It will rise and fall, just like horror, sci-fi, and yes - stage plays. With so many people working, or wanting to work, in this day and age, why do producers continue to pour money into daytime soaps? Because there are people who still love it. I guess I've taken the scenic route to state that we all come under the umbrella of creative writing. And believe it or not, there are people out there that will find whatever it is that you do just as pointless. Try to be as encouraging and supportive of Poets as you would want them to be of you.
If anything, since you're a screenplay/stageplay writer, why not request the assistance of a Poet to create a character? Perhaps a script about a poet who is determined to make it as a poet? I mean, your characters do have occupations and/or passions, right? Right?? Riiiiiight???
I read your initial post, and read most of the reply posts; then viewed your profile page, and other threads and posts that are listed on your personal page. IMHO, I don't believe you meant any harm; you're just inquisitive. That's not a bad thing, but can certainly be misunderstood when motive and context come into play. Hey, Poets are like anyone else, in that they will protect the significance of their craft; are you really surprised that other members aggressively questioned your question? You're a screenplay and stageplay writer, correct? If a nonfiction book author posted a thread in one of those forums, and asked why people bother to write such things - while admitting that they neither write nor watch either - would you not wonder [aloud] why that person would care?
Now, about your question: The spoken word will never die. It will rise and fall, just like horror, sci-fi, and yes - stage plays. With so many people working, or wanting to work, in this day and age, why do producers continue to pour money into daytime soaps? Because there are people who still love it. I guess I've taken the scenic route to state that we all come under the umbrella of creative writing. And believe it or not, there are people out there that will find whatever it is that you do just as pointless. Try to be as encouraging and supportive of Poets as you would want them to be of you.
If anything, since you're a screenplay/stageplay writer, why not request the assistance of a Poet to create a character? Perhaps a script about a poet who is determined to make it as a poet? I mean, your characters do have occupations and/or passions, right? Right?? Riiiiiight???
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i think your question is more: is poetry dead to the masses who consume?
the answer would of course be yes. but they're the same people who buy $12 cups of coffee, watch reality TV and buy glossy magazines, not books...any books.
so really... does it matter if poetry is dead to them?
the answer would of course be yes. but they're the same people who buy $12 cups of coffee, watch reality TV and buy glossy magazines, not books...any books.
so really... does it matter if poetry is dead to them?
Like anything else, it's a sliding window. To someone who loves poetry, poetry is not dead. Cast a wider net ... take 10 people in the neighborhood, most of them probably couldn't care less. Take a town of 100,000, surely the poetry crowd is a mere 1% or so. You can keep playing with the context to get any answer you want.
Take a coffehouse on an open mic night -- poetry's doing fine. Poetry gets entagled with music, and music isn't going away.
Regarding "success", again you can choose your definition to get any answer you want. Number of poets getting published = plenty. Number of poets that are satisfied, having found some small audience = quite a few. (Though one might intersect this with the set of poets/artists who can't be satisfied by anything.) Number of poets making $1000 a month with poetry alone = not so many, but it's not zero.
Questions like "is X dead" or "is X worthwhile" are both dead and not worthwhile. ;-)
Take a coffehouse on an open mic night -- poetry's doing fine. Poetry gets entagled with music, and music isn't going away.
Regarding "success", again you can choose your definition to get any answer you want. Number of poets getting published = plenty. Number of poets that are satisfied, having found some small audience = quite a few. (Though one might intersect this with the set of poets/artists who can't be satisfied by anything.) Number of poets making $1000 a month with poetry alone = not so many, but it's not zero.
Questions like "is X dead" or "is X worthwhile" are both dead and not worthwhile. ;-)
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This question/sentiment from new posters appears here so often, I think it's time for a FAQ thread entitled "IS POETRY DEAD? Click here before posting."
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All of the great, pulitzer winnig poets in the US also teach at universities. Being successful, however, as in affecting a lot of people and leaving a mark on this world is another thing.
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With links to previous threads, and a polite* entreaty not to post any new ones.
* optionally, impolite