FlexWriters Creative Network

The Roundtable

Is There A Prejudice Against Poets?

Prejudice is defined as an adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of

I was discriminated against for writing poetry! Yes and I thought it had to be some kind of a joke. Now I’m sure we all have had instances online or even in person where we’ve encountered people who simply didn’t understand poetry or felt it to be not something for them and that really is okay because different people are entertained by different things. Well, an acquaintance of mine who I haven’t seen in quite a long time wanted to get together for a beer. We made conversation by asking each other what was new. He continued to tell me about his job and I told him I was working on a book of poetry to be published. His response was “Oh Really” and he proceeded to ask many questions about the process of publishing. I thought he felt it was cool which gave me a sense of accomplishment. Well after the beer was finished he jumps up and says he didn’t think it would be cool to hang out again. I was very perplexed by this until he told me it was “the poetry thing”. I was in so much shock and thought I was on “punked” or something that I couldn’t even response and say all the things I wanted to say. And trust me the language wouldn’t have been…poetic. But in the words of Tribal Rayne “Fuck em if they can’t hang!”

It really wasn’t my issue to worry about because obviously he was pre-judging something he didn’t know much about or was assuming he knew about. But it raised this question in my head because I have encountered people here on MySpace who just aren’t turned on by poetry. And I think it is because they assume it involves a lot of translation and deepness. And furthermore I think they believe there wouldn’t be any connection. How does what we write as poets really affect others who chose not to read it? I don’t think the average reader realizes how many different types of poetry there is out there or that the music they listen to is actually poetry. So today’s Roundtable I’m going to raise this hot topic. Have you ever been discriminated against for being a poet?

I remember that Boss Man!!!

We are discriminated... a damn cookbook has a better sales revenue, at the end of the fiscal year! It is a shame, but because they hold this dark cloud over our heads- does not mean we must lay down, and always keep it gray!

What it boils down to... is they "individuals" are PRE JUDGING us... and non-writers are the worst of the worst.... "I don't understand what you have written! It doesn't make sense to me!", and they move on- not really READING it, cos' if they did- the meaning, or reflection, would certainly, almost always jump out at them and BUMP THEM IN THE FACE.... like a real EYE OPENER of sorts... lol

Then you have the WRITERS who are JEALOUS of the work, and effort you put into a piece. That attack you because, they're not getting the CREDIT, or RECOGNITION, or COMMENTS that you do. Well let me help them out.... Here is some Klenix, wine, and a violine.... Now let me make it bigger for you.

Occasionally, you will have other ''WRITERS OF WRITERS'' gang up on you. Deleting you as a ''friend'', cos' they got the others writers back. "Don't let the door hit ya on the rump on the way out!"

I totally, get what you're saying T....

Certainly some bookshops are very weak on poetry, but others strong. Relatively few people buy poetry books, and while I suspect one reason is that poetry is accessible poem-by-poem online, while to make much of a novel you need the whole thing and a book is still a convenient medium, I also think many people are scared of poetry because they find it puzzling or they're too literal-minded or it can be too intense and dsisturbing for them.

But the question was about prejudice against poets, not poetry. I avoid the title "poet" because it carries a lot of baggage. Somehow you expect a poet to be a bigger-than-life performer, full of himself or herself and entitled to be mean and nasty in verse because it's art. I just write poems.

I was once talking to another mother at a parent teacher meeting. I told her I was a poet and she looked at me kind of funny and asked, "Is that a real job? Do you get paid?"
Befuddled, I just turned around and walked away!

Great topic...

a friend once told me that ''poetry is somebody's stupid idea'',and that's what most people think,but I think that poetry is a ''sacred ministry'' ,we write because we have a message that man needs to hear.

a friend once told me that ''poetry is somebody's stupid idea'',and that's what most people think,but I think that poetry is a ''sacred ministry'' ,we write because we have a message that man needs to hear.

am new,and just trying to settle,thanks for this beatiful community,am here to stay.

answering Atta--

and I concur... Well said... So true