Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Neglectorinoitis (zat spelt rite?)

I have to thank C.Dale Young for pointing out this article in the Globe and Mail on the upcoming GG's & the glut of poetry books and prizes and the like. It includes this quote:

"I can't see any reason to publish because there's more people out there writing it than reading it. . . . We have so much information that we don't want and don't need in this world and writers have to take a measure of that, I think. If you don't have anything new to say, don't say it."

As I said in my reply to his post, after writing my lengthy essay in Rock Salt Plum review on the "Can Poetry Matter" question, I for one feel quite cured -- at last -- of the old neglectorinoitis that afflicts so many poets (including, of course, myself once upon a time.) Now it seems so much crock. Write for the joy of it -- of doing the best at what you do best. Take pleasure in sharing with those worthy few. Let the world catch up if it will.

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