Rambling
January 21, 2008 by Shirley Allard
I think I’m having one of those days when I don’t want to be a poet anymore. God, why didn’t someone warn me what I was getting myself into.
Try telling someone that you’re a poet and watch their reaction. They immediately look away like you just told them you had the plague or something. Then they move back so they won’t catch it and they say something really profound like “oh, really.”
Apparently being a poet doesn’t evoke any probing questions like being a plumber or a paper delivery person would. At least then they might ask where your route is located or how did you ever learn what all those little round things are for.
To say “I am a poet” is like saying “I am a dinosaur.” If you say it differently you will get a different response. For instance, try saying “I write poetry” and you will get “Oh, really… why?” Now that’s much better. At least you’ve evoked a question. Not that you can answer it to their satisfaction but, at least they asked!
I have concluded that to keep poetry alive we simply need a new title. One that doesn’t associate us with an art that everyone believes is as dead as a dinosaur!
So, what shall we call ourselves?
How about “I am a Word Catalyst“. Let’s try that one!
“What do you do?”
“I am a Word Catalyst.”
“Oh, really. That sounds important. Tell me, what does a Word Catalyst do?”
“I write poetry.”
“Oh, really?”
Hmmmm…. back to the drawing board.
I knew you had the spirit of Erma Bombeck locked inside you. This piece proves it…
Bravo! More, I say…
You’re asking for it! LOL I think I’ll change my name to Rambling Rose
From one that always tried but never succeeded, you’re very talented whatever you call yourself
Thanks Composer!
shirley,, there are some amazing communities of poets available on the net,, truly amazing… like the kind whee you look at them and think,, damn,, i wanna be just like you…. and they look at you the same way… if you are interested in checking any of them out contact me via email… they are all sites… no “communities or chatrooms” or any of that kind of thing….
Does anybody read poetry anymore, other than the lyrics to popular songs, unless they are studying literature?
Just about everybody has heard of Maya Angelou. When I was in college everybody was familiar with Richard Brautigan.
Honestly, maybe I’m having a brain fart, but I can’t think of any major American poets in the modern cultural mainstream, or pop cultural worlds.
I couldn’t name the poet laureate of the United States without googling him right now. I think we have one here in Utah. Same problem.
Of course they look at you like you said “I am a dinosaur.” Poets are culturally extinct.
How about telling them you are a wordsmith specializing in cultural anthropology and philosophy, with a sup-specialty in irony?
Hey Keats! Welcome back. I’ll have to try that one. It should be good for a “How do you spell that?” LOL thanks.
I like watching people’s faces when I tell them that I’m a poet. They go so blank. And it beats telling them I’m a technical writer… If I want to start up a conversation, I tell them that I’m a longshoreman. That gets things going when they reply how I must be the smallest one of those that they’ve ever seen. And of course most of the people that I meet have never met a longshoreman. Keep up your spirits - it will get worse….
I always get the feeling, as they back away, they’re thinking, “Oh Gawd! A flake!” When you say “poet” people may be thinking of Edgar Allen Poe, and oh boy, that’s trouble for you. Maybe we should all say we write poetry and sometimes song lyrics. People love song lyrics…
Shirley, your piece is very accurate, but sad; enjoyed it. I think maybe Jo’s on the right track; move from poetry, to lyrics, possibly back up singer, then a full fledged rock star!!
Hi Dan, Been there and done that. Couldn’t take the pressure of being on the road all the time. I still perform now and then but only in disguise. It’s more fun pretending to be a nobody poet than actually being a famous rock star believe me. This way, I just get treated like everyone else.
My final take on this is that the fact that anyone ever did read poetry is the real misconception created by publishers who thought they could sell it. Let’s face it, if you’re not a poet why would you read poetry? Then or now? So, we’re probably just as popular as we ever were! It’s just that we never were! But, we have each other!