Only poets read poetry...(?)

[Pat~]

I was told this by an agent at the writer's conference I attended last weekend. During Q & A time I'd asked the question, "Do you think book publishers will ever be open to publishing poetry again?" His response was, "No, because nobody reads it. The only people that read poetry are the ones who write it."

I know this thread overlaps Temerity's thread, "Poets only write for poets"--sorry if I'm beating a dead horse here, but I've been doing some serious re-evaluating this week about writing. This agent didn't tell me anything I didn't already know about the poetry market. I feel fortunate to have had some writing published, but I've come to terms with the fact that I will never be able to pursue book publication, because 1) for nonfiction books, though I have a message, I neither have nor want a 'platform,' and 2) for poetry, there is no readership. I guess I'm feeling a bit of what Temerity said:

“Without the collaboration between poet and reader, I imagine writing would feel meaningless--and I write to feel like I have a purpose, even for just a moment.”

Right now, I’d have to admit, writing feels pretty meaningless.

[dolores haze]

I have 27 volumes of poetry on my bookshelf, and I dip into them frequently. I'm a regular reader in the poetry forum here on AW.
I've never written a poem in my life.

[Appalachian Writer]

I don't think that "only poets read poetry." What I do think is that poetry's gotten a bad rep because of the inclination to believe it belongs only in the halls of academia. There's also the question of required effort. Most people are lazy readers; they want it all right out there so they can understand with very little effort. That doesn't happen in poetry.

[Rolling Thunder]

The thing about poetry is, if novelists and publishers were to take some initiative, I don't see why poetry couldn't be utilized in the preface of a book. If a poet read a certain work and wrote a poem about the story, to be included up front in the book and was paid for it, I would hope that more people would be exposed to those works and possibly start to seek them out.

[Jenny]

I read poetry when I didn't write it. Possibly because a good English teacher in high school showed us it was a window into another person's world. Possibly because I just love the flow of words and the laughing cheek of nonsense verse.

Having read your poetry, Pat, and sometimes stood in awe of the technical achievement let alone what was said -- don't you dare let that feeling that writing is meaningless triumph.

It wasn't that long ago when people used to clip their favourite poems from magazines -- and they did that because the poem touched their hearts. There was comfort and hope and a sense of kinship in the words. Poem greeting cards show that this need (this market) still exists even if it is expressed and met in different ways.

Keep writing, Pat. We hear so often that people are time poor, well, poetry respects that. You don't need to read pages of an article to be hit by the emotion and argument of a poem.

I really believe poems are a gift. Someone may only read one poem in their whole life that they really like (that strikes them where they live), but it's worth writing if you can give someone that gift. Just on that chance, I keep practicing.

Jen
who probably isn't really answering your question.

[Pat~]

Terrific posts, guys--thanks. I needed to read what you wrote. I really appreciate your thoughts on this. :Hug2:

[temerity]

Oh, sweet--I've been quoted! :)

To clarify: I've kept writing because it makes sense for me, you know? Not to get too angsty, but how much of what we do will have a meaning in the future? I run, and I compete, but I'll never be an Olympian. Even if I was, how many people can name the most recent marathon gold-medalist? Same thing with poetry...but the difference is that poetry can touch people, one by one, if they're made aware of how cool verse can be. "Poets need to get in other people's faces," my creative writing teacher told me. "They need to get out there!" I guess I'm echoing KTC; keep writing, because you have a gift
and we need it, now more than ever, to draw people back into poetry!

[Norman D Gutter]

Pat~:

Looks like you've got the post-writers conference letdown. It hits me too, usually while I'm still there! Those things are emotional roller coasters. You're up one minute when you meet a writer who thinks like you; you're down the next when your third straight 15 minute appointment results in no encouragement.

Poetry won't be published because it won't be purchased in sufficient quantitites to pay for the publishing.

Non-fiction will only be published if the author has a platform, a ready-made audience of readers to sell to.

Fiction is so crowded that if "Gone With The Wind" was rejected 132 times, what chance do my paltry offerings have?

It's a silly business, this publishing thing. How I wish the bug to publish had never hit me.

I like and agree with what KTC said: "If anybody can make a dead horse rise, it is the poet." Flog away.

NDG

[Angelinity]

poetry -- a form of creative expression.

popular? No.

profitable? No.

Does this matter to you as a poetry-writer?

[TurkeyLurkey]

A good example of a popular poet read by a large audience is Shel Silverstein. I think it is merely a matter of writing poetry that the masses can identify with. (If that is the goal.) Btw, I do enjoy Silverstein's works. Along with Seuss.

Poetry for me is personal. It is something I rarely share with others. It is a journey that I can pass on to my children, and on occasion touch the life of someone who was connected to my words.

I wrote a poem for my mother when she was struggling with cancer. I read that same poem to a room full of mourners at her memorial. That moment is the only one I need to prove how powerful poetry is. It isn't about spreading it across thousands of readers. It is about making a life changing impact on one.

Cheer up Pat! There will always be an appreciation for poetry. Whether the publishers find it a money making business or not. :)

[Pat~]

I was told this by an agent at the writer's conference I attended last weekend. During Q & A time I'd asked the question, "Do you think book publishers will ever be open to publishing poetry again?" His response was, "No, because nobody reads it. The only people that read poetry are the ones who write it."

I know this thread overlaps Temerity's thread, "Poets only write for poets"--sorry if I'm beating a dead horse here, but I've been doing some serious re-evaluating this week about writing. This agent didn't tell me anything I didn't already know about the poetry market. I feel fortunate to have had some writing published, but I've come to terms with the fact that I will never be able to pursue book publication, because 1) for nonfiction books, though I have a message, I neither have nor want a 'platform,' and 2) for poetry, there is no readership. I guess I'm feeling a bit of what Temerity said:

“Without the collaboration between poet and reader, I imagine writing would feel meaningless--and I write to feel like I have a purpose, even for just a moment.”

Right now, I’d have to admit, writing feels pretty meaningless.

Just to report back, I've found some resolution with this these past few days. Sometimes I think you need to step back and take a look at why it is you do what you do. And sometimes during that "I" exam, you unearth the cause of that sense that something's not right. And that's a very individual sort of thing.

For me, I realized that my focus had gotten fuzzy; my writing is generally message-driven rather than form or product-driven. Much as I love the craft of writing a good poem, I value effectively communicating message/idea even more. That communication is what gives my writing a sense of purpose--not the tangible poem or article or book itself. So, as another writing friend told me this week, I need to stretch a bit and explore all the different ways available for me to do this. I'll keep writing poems for the challenge and love of the craft. But I'm going to wade a bit deeper into this communication process, and put a bit more time/energy into developing more varied skills.

Thanks for helping me figure this out. :)

[JRH]

Pat,

Here's a thought that might give you comfort. Both the argument that "Poet's write only for other Poets" and that "The only ones who read Poetry are those who write it" are specious. Poetry is part of mankind's nature and has been from the beginning of recorded history, if not before that.

The current aversion that the Public shows towards Poetry is not a condemnation of the craft but a negative reaction to that which is currently in style and the popularity of Songs, Greeting Card Verse, Poetry Raves and hundreds of sites like this demonstrate that poetry is alive and well for Poets and Readers alike, and I assure you, that it always will be because it's part of what makes us human, and all respond to that whether they recognize it specifically or not.

So you and everyone can read it and/or write it with pride knowing it's your, (our) connection to all of the human race.

Write On,

Jim Hoye