Nobody Reads That Stuff (2015-06-25)
Another project I’ve been working on since took a break from these blog entries is a new collection of poetry, tentatively titled DiVerse Dedications. Every time I concentrate on writing poetry, I can’t help but wonder why. Of course, why we do whatever we do is hard to pin down—and our explanations are usually more rationalizations than real reasons. But my justification for writing that serves me well enough is to be read. (I have no illusions about fame or fortune.) But the fact that almost nobody reads poetry anymore makes that rationalization incredibly unbelievable. The audience I have for my other writing isn’t exactly a crowd scene, but it is by comparison to my poetry.
So naturally I’ve been thinking a lot about poetry—its value, its nature, and its diminished role in people’s lives. I also have been cleaning up my manuscript files and have noticed how often I’ve dealt with the very idea of poetry. So I think I’ll use this blog for a while to air some of my ruminations—and, as usual, rant a bit.
