Is Poetry a Lost Art?
By SummerRain1
@SummerRain1 (8)
United States
June 5, 2007 4:29pm CST
A few years back, I was talking with someone about my plans to publish a volume of poetry. He laughed and told me there's no money to be made in poetry.
He said I was wasting my time. Well, I am about to publish a volume of poetry
that represents a lifetime of writing - and then I plan to start work on
another volume. At age 73 I figure I'd better start writing fast! I often
think of that man and what he said. As I plan to write on the back cover,
I've come to agree with him. I don't think you can make money with
poetry, because poetry is priceless.
Is poetry a lost art? Is there a corner of the "Daily News." that invites
people to send in poems about this or that? Do news programs on television
ever mention or display the work of a talented poet? Do politicians fear
satiric poems when they are involved with questionable projects. If poetry is
dying, what can we do to bring it back top life? How can we help people
to make poetry a part of their lives by either reading it or writing it?
What do you think?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@steerforth (1797)
• Italy
5 Jun 07
I think poetry is not a lost art, but it's an alive art. There are a lot of books but the editors wants only the business and not other things like art for it own. I'm a poet and I'm studyng for become editor, and I know that book is now passed by: all they wanna new technologies, but I know that the book is very important in everyday life. Try to publish your poems, don't stop now!
2 people like this
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
5 Jun 07
As a money making venture, it's not very profitable and it never really has been. But, as an art form, I think it's still alive. I see a lot of people writing and publishing poetry, they just don't get paid a whole lot for it. I used to write poetry and I made virtually nothing. But, I didn't write it to make money, I wrote it for expression and artistic value.
I definitely don't think that anyone who wants to be a poet should give up on their art. We need poets just as much as we need any other type of art form. What would the world be without art?
@SummerRain1 (8)
• United States
6 Jun 07
You've made some excellent points! Nicely said.
1 person likes this
@CatWrites (33)
• United States
8 Jun 07
I actually majored in poetry writing in college (yup, I spent 35 grand a year to get that piece of paper...) and I certainly got a lot of flak about it.
I think the best advice I got was from my advisor, also a poet, when we were in our final seminar, working on our projects.
You've got to write for you. You will have to get another job, just make sure it pays your bills and doesn't rob you of your will to write. As long as you can pay your own way, you can hold your head up high. You are a poet because you have chosen to be, it's not something that's dependent on how often you get published. It will take time to get published, it will take determination and a lot of stamps and you can't let rejection make you feel like your poetry just sucks.
After all, Emily Dickinson only ever showed her poems to one person. All of her poetry was published posthumously.
@SummerRain1 (8)
• United States
8 Jun 07
It sounds like you had a great adviser! I agree with your thoughts. Some of the most satisfying moments of my life have been when I was writing poetry.
While I didn't major in poetry, I took a lot of English Literature classes and
some poetry writing and creative writing courses. They came in handy! I
enjoyed your comments immensely! Thank you.
