Comments on: I Hate Poetry Readings

By: Jamba

Jamba — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:59:49 +0000

I’ve personally grown fond of the young poet who spends an uncomfortable amount of time introducing his or her poems. On several occasions lately I’ve been convinced I was witness to the best new poetry, only to find out ten minutes into the “poem” that it was just the introduction; he/she was not acting at all. For me the line, “…and now for the poem” is often the saddest moment in any poetry reading (barring the line, “Do I have time for one or two more, I’ll just read a couple more” does not rear its ugly head). As for the best line in any poetry reading the line, “And now we’ll take a ten minute break,” is certainly a highlight.

By: William

William — Mon, 14 May 2007 19:44:14 +0000

Thank you for the insights. I fancy myself a bit of a poet, so I once gathered my poems and headed downtown to the reading. I was a bit late, and didn’t sign in for a spot. I simply sat down to observe for a while first. The poets were all quite mad. Screaming and gesturing, beating their chests, beating bongos, pulling out their own hair. Obviously there would be no room for my gentle little poems of pinecones and such. So I slinked out of the room hoping to God no one would notice my book clutched close. I haven’t been back. Are some readings more violent than others? And how would I know which to go to, which to avoid? Maybe I’ll just sit in my chair under my pines and exchange songs with the finches…

By: patricia

patricia — Tue, 08 May 2007 19:55:36 +0000

I can honestly say that readings are the bane of my existence. Not because they pay well (surely, I jest), but because I’m addicted to that eye-to-eye energy. Oddly, there’s nothing more satisfying that giving a listener the ability to come up to you and say, “You know, I really hated that poem, and this is why…” If they’re reading you instead, all they do is slam the book shut.
Once I realized that you can learn something from every single reading, horrendous or heavenly, there hasn’t been a single one I’ve regretted or dreaded–from whiny open mics to “major poet” dronefests. I love ‘em all…

By: Brian Hadd

Brian Hadd — Mon, 07 May 2007 13:45:22 +0000

High pay for artists? Jasper, Jasper. The Hood Company