Poetry Establishments?
(An opinion) One of the most biased and fixed poetry establishments is the Poetry Foundation—so I feel, found out (in my opinion), sad to say, but like many if not most established literature channels, they are there for reasons of self-interest, and like such establishments as the Pulitzer Prize, and the Bram Stoker awards (as we’ll as these poetry awards and establishments sponsoring poetry, like the Mark Twain Awards), they are there to make book dealers happy: much like the Nobel Prize, they are not given to those who have proven skills, or talent or imagination, or style, or good stuff, and in many cases the person has never produced a book of any kind to prove his or her worth, but it gets established by who knows who, and what school you went to and if you don’t hurt their feelings (and if they like you, they’ll give you a ghost writer to help you, like they did with Harper Lee, and pay the price; I never had one, I was never so lucky, I did all my own editing and proofing). I write and read ten-hours a day, and go through many stories and poems, magazines, books, reviewing them, and reviewing these so called clubs, or establishments (and have written 45-books, and won several awards, so I’m not talking from envy—there is nobody out there I envy, or to be quite honest, there are only a few good poets I recognize as having something worthwhile reading, and less than a few good novelists living today; I don’t sell many books of my novels but I do with one of three of my books on short stories of suspense, in particular: Death on Demand, and with three of my Self-help books—on alcoholism, and some from the 14-books I’ve written on poetry, in particular: “The Macabre Poems”) but this is how it is—they work on your ego, and I find in most cases those who get the award, was not surprised nor half as good as others competing for the same award (somebody whispered in their ear “It’s on its way”), nor those who gave it. It is much like promotion at a job, or in the Army—the more you bend the more you are libel to get what you seek: like William Faulkner, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature, in 1951 (and the gal he was wooing when he was married, had a little influence in this—let me correct that, she had a lot), before that he didn’t (or couldn’t) sell enough books to hire a grass cutter, after he got the award, everyone in town thought he was God sent, then he bought a plantation, and had lots of grass to cut. I like his writings but Erskine Caldwell was also good, and was up for the prize (he just didn’t know the person who had an in like Faulkner did), and sold a lot more books than Faulkner. It is better one does not support such groups and simple read what they sense is good and rewarding (if by trial and error, and stick with the good few, than the clumsy many), instead of following the pack, hoping they will read your writings and do you a favor for nothing—and when someone points their finger because this got an award, it doesn’t mean it is good, it means someone knew someone else in most cases—perhaps even paid someone. I always get a kick out of someone saying “It’s got to be good if it got this award?” To the contrary, it doesn’t mean that at all. Stephen King, is the worse short story writer I’ve yet to read of his statue, in his genre—but he’s established, so whatever he writes, sells, not that it is good, most folks are afraid to say it isn’t—that’s all.
(An opinion) One of the most biased and fixed poetry establishments is the Poetry Foundation—so I feel, found out (in my opinion), sad to say, but like many if not most established literature channels, they are there for reasons of self-interest, and like such establishments as the Pulitzer Prize, and the Bram Stoker awards (as we’ll as these poetry awards and establishments sponsoring poetry, like the Mark Twain Awards), they are there to make book dealers happy: much like the Nobel Prize, they are not given to those who have proven skills, or talent or imagination, or style, or good stuff, and in many cases the person has never produced a book of any kind to prove his or her worth, but it gets established by who knows who, and what school you went to and if you don’t hurt their feelings (and if they like you, they’ll give you a ghost writer to help you, like they did with Harper Lee, and pay the price; I never had one, I was never so lucky, I did all my own editing and proofing). I write and read ten-hours a day, and go through many stories and poems, magazines, books, reviewing them, and reviewing these so called clubs, or establishments (and have written 45-books, and won several awards, so I’m not talking from envy—there is nobody out there I envy, or to be quite honest, there are only a few good poets I recognize as having something worthwhile reading, and less than a few good novelists living today; I don’t sell many books of my novels but I do with one of three of my books on short stories of suspense, in particular: Death on Demand, and with three of my Self-help books—on alcoholism, and some from the 14-books I’ve written on poetry, in particular: “The Macabre Poems”) but this is how it is—they work on your ego, and I find in most cases those who get the award, was not surprised nor half as good as others competing for the same award (somebody whispered in their ear “It’s on its way”), nor those who gave it. It is much like promotion at a job, or in the Army—the more you bend the more you are libel to get what you seek: like William Faulkner, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature, in 1951 (and the gal he was wooing when he was married, had a little influence in this—let me correct that, she had a lot), before that he didn’t (or couldn’t) sell enough books to hire a grass cutter, after he got the award, everyone in town thought he was God sent, then he bought a plantation, and had lots of grass to cut. I like his writings but Erskine Caldwell was also good, and was up for the prize (he just didn’t know the person who had an in like Faulkner did), and sold a lot more books than Faulkner. It is better one does not support such groups and simple read what they sense is good and rewarding (if by trial and error, and stick with the good few, than the clumsy many), instead of following the pack, hoping they will read your writings and do you a favor for nothing—and when someone points their finger because this got an award, it doesn’t mean it is good, it means someone knew someone else in most cases—perhaps even paid someone. I always get a kick out of someone saying “It’s got to be good if it got this award?” To the contrary, it doesn’t mean that at all. Stephen King, is the worse short story writer I’ve yet to read of his statue, in his genre—but he’s established, so whatever he writes, sells, not that it is good, most folks are afraid to say it isn’t—that’s all.
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