Monday, October 09, 2023
The unbearable lightness of being...a poet
The world is at war - in Ukraine, and in Israel, and earthquakes are killing people in Africa and Afghanistan - do I really have the right to be over her, in the USA, writing poetry? Well, as a poet, I have a compulsion, in my case to put it into haiku and put a season in there somewhere - but yes, I'd say I'm going to do that whether there is a war or not. I feel bad hawking my poetry books on the market out there, when somewhere, on the Gaza strip, some kid is hiding in his basement. But I can't do much about him. Well actually I can speak out for peace, but that doesn't do much. I could put my pleas for peace in poetry. But nobody reads poetry (see below). Better to just put it on a huge sign.
I've never been entirely comfortable with the persona of being a poet out there in the world. I can present myself to people as an author, no problem - as a short story writer, or a biography writer, whatever - but as a poet, it's hard. Maybe it's because a lot of the poets I met and listened to were pretentious. I don't actually remember that, though, and I don't even think I've met all that many. It seems to me you can be a poet and still be down-to-earth, friendly, not pretentious at all. It's not part of the job description or even part of what people think of you when you say that, necessarily. I should be able to just go on out there and slide right into the social whirl as a poet.
Easier said than done. When I think of the things I could have done with my 9/11 book, the main reason I didn't do them (public readings, etc.) was this problem of image as a poet. I just don't want to go out there into the world as a poet. I'm not sure why. I love writing poetry. I am a poet. What's the problem?
I'll do some deep contemplation and get back to you.
I've never been entirely comfortable with the persona of being a poet out there in the world. I can present myself to people as an author, no problem - as a short story writer, or a biography writer, whatever - but as a poet, it's hard. Maybe it's because a lot of the poets I met and listened to were pretentious. I don't actually remember that, though, and I don't even think I've met all that many. It seems to me you can be a poet and still be down-to-earth, friendly, not pretentious at all. It's not part of the job description or even part of what people think of you when you say that, necessarily. I should be able to just go on out there and slide right into the social whirl as a poet.
Easier said than done. When I think of the things I could have done with my 9/11 book, the main reason I didn't do them (public readings, etc.) was this problem of image as a poet. I just don't want to go out there into the world as a poet. I'm not sure why. I love writing poetry. I am a poet. What's the problem?
I'll do some deep contemplation and get back to you.
