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Afrika
Newbie Poster
Username: Afrika
Post Number: 45
Registered: 06-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, April 09, 2007 - 06:23 am: | 
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National Poetry Month
by Afrika Midnight Asha Abney
National Poetry Month is celebrated throughout the entire month of April. Read more at http://clearblogs.com/afrikamaabney/43875/National+Poetry+Month.html
Thanks
Cordially,
Afrika Midnight Asha Abney
www.authorsden.com/afrikamaabney
www.clearblogs.com/afrikamaabney
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Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 4070
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 01:13 pm: |
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Poetry is dead. |
Yvettep
Veteran Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 1875
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 01:15 pm: |
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Hear James Baldwin: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9460954
James Baldwin took a long, hard look at race and history in his major poem "Staggerlee Wonders."
Baldwin was among the many poets who visited with Henry Lyman during the nearly 20 years Lyman hosted a public radio program called Poems to a Listener on member station WFCR in Amherst, Mass.
They discussed "Staggerlee Wonders," covering Baldwin's views on race, politics and the dispossessed, in a wide-ranging conversation typical of Lyman's program.
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Afrika
Newbie Poster
Username: Afrika
Post Number: 46
Registered: 06-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 01:30 pm: |
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Greetings,
Chris, poetry is not dead. I disagree with you. Words live on. So, does poetry.
Peace and Blessings,
Afrika Midnight Asha Abney
http://www.authorsden.com/afrikamaabney
http://www.clearblogs.com/afrikamaabney |
Urban_scribe
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Urban_scribe
Post Number: 411
Registered: 05-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 02:35 pm: |
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Poetry is, and will always be, a valid artform. However, there's no money in it. Agents don't accept clients who write poetry exclusively because - there's no money in it. Publishers (major, small, or midsize presses) seldom publish poetry because - there's no money in it.
Poets are better off self-publishing their chapbooks and selling whatever copies they can at various poetry and spoken word slams, jams, and competitions; as well as on the internet, and on consignment at their local specialty or gift shops.
Third World Press is one of the few remaining publishers that still actively publishes poetry. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 8208
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 02:59 pm: |
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Poetry continues to limp along,
Finding a crutch in a gangsta song.
Rap has found a new way with words,
Replacing pearls with beads of turds.
Odes and sonnets are things of the past,
And free-style goes from slow to fast.
But the Muse is not so easy to slay!
Eloquent verse will yet find a way
to keep language forever new,
giving it wings to pursue
what is true...
If poetry ain't dead, did I just kill it? LOL. |
Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 4082
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - 02:35 pm: |
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Poetry is dead. Nobody reads the magazines. Nobody goes to the readings. Nobody pays attention to them anymore
The academics killed it and mummified it. It doesn't talk to nobody anymore-- |
Afrika
Newbie Poster
Username: Afrika
Post Number: 47
Registered: 06-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - 03:29 pm: |
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Greetings,
Chris and Urban Scribe. I will disagree with the both of you. That depends all on where you go to listen to poetry. I happen to read alot of poetry. I take on alot of interest in various authors work. So, we can debate this forever. Poetry lives on! And will always live on!
Cordially,
Afrika Abney
www.clearblogs.com/afrikamaabney
www.authorsden.com/afrikamaabney
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Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 4092
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - 04:01 pm: |
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Dead Dead Dead.
The message from all American poets is these days, as one South American poet said, "Help! I feel a little pain." |
Urban_scribe
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Urban_scribe
Post Number: 414
Registered: 05-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - 05:08 pm: |
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Afrika, what I stated was FACT, what you stated was OPINION.
Here are a few more FACTS about the poetry market that you may not be aware of:
Poetry doesn't pay, and even professional poets earn more from teaching, reviewing, adjudicating, running workshops and doing the odd radio interview than from royalties of published work. Few of the mainstream publishers handle poetry, and literary agents for poets are almost unheard of.
In this order, most poetry is published in 1. anthologies of writing circles, 2. small magazines, 3. literary ezines, 4. internet sites individually created by poets, 5. collections brought out by publishers of all types, 6. collections by prestigious publishers like Bloodaxe and Faber and Faber.
A career in poetry requires time, effort and talent – to develop the skills, find markets, make contacts, become known. Most poets don't make it to professional status. The seam of talent runs out, or time spent writing without profit or acknowledgement is overtaken by other commitments. Self-publishing is a common and respected route.
Of course, you're welcome to disagree with these FACTS. While you may personally enjoy poetry, and there's nothing wrong with that, the poetry market is DEAD. Ain't no money in it. |
Urban_scribe
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Urban_scribe
Post Number: 415
Registered: 05-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - 05:11 pm: |
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Oh, my source is Poets & Writers magazine. |
Afrika
Newbie Poster
Username: Afrika
Post Number: 48
Registered: 06-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - 06:29 pm: |
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Greetings,
Urban Scribe, you do not even know my experience, so if I were you, I would ask that you check out my background and my sites. I am very well aware of what the poetry market is. So, be careful. If you want to speak with me further about this, I ask that all of you email me as I do not check this board regularly. The topic that I posted was not for debate. It was merely to inform you that this is National Poetry Month and I wrote a wonderful article about that. No one is going to scare me or make me think anything differently about poetry.
Peace,
Afrika Midnight Asha Abney
www.authorsden.com/afrikamaabney
www.clearblogs.com/afrikamaabney
Aashawarrior@aol.com
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Urban_scribe
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Urban_scribe
Post Number: 416
Registered: 05-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - 10:53 pm: |
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So, be careful
Or
what?
You'll write a poem about me? Pleez.
And I notice you come to this forum QUITE FREQUENTLY to SELF-PROMOTE your poetry, and other poetry works you're affiliated with because that's about all anyone can do with poetry nowadays - SELF-PROMOTE.
But you're right: there's no need for debate. THE FACTS ARE THE FACTS. It's neither my fault nor my concern that you choose to overlook the obvious. So gwan gurl. Enjoy your little poetry month! At least it's two days longer than Black History Month, eh? One, during leap years.
...so if I were you
I stopped doing spoken word in the mid-90's. That's when the market took a serious nosedive. So, if you were ME, you'd be smart enough to switch up your platform and write NOVELS. Or do you have such a short attention span you can't make it pass verse and get with prose?
Peace! |
Squirt
First Time Poster
Username: Squirt
Post Number: 3
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 10:42 am: |
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Please let's stop the madness. It's starting to get out of hand. We all need to just support whatever we do, poetry, novels, etc.
I write poetry to and do poetry readings. I only have 2 of my poems published because my novels is what brings more attention.
But, I commend Afrika for her going out there and getting her poetry work noticed.
So, lets be friends, please. |
Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 4096
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 02:04 pm: |
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I got to tell the truth.
At one time poetry appeared in newspapers. At one time poets were famous people who were quoted and known by the public at large.
Who won the Pulitzer prize for poetry last year? The Nobel?
In South America they have poetry readings and ten thousand people show up. When does that happen here?
I can go back to the 1960's. Times of political rallies. It was di riguer to call on someone to do a poem during the program. Nikki Giovanni, Baraka, Don L. Lee (Madhbuti) were known to the public at large.
Those names are still ringing because today's poets aren't saying anything. I'm not the only one saying this. All the poetry is everybody's little psychodramas. It is used for people to vent on their own personal hangups.
The poets are weak and ineffective. They can't bust a grape.
It is dead, I tell you. Dead. The title of poet is a dirty name. |
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 586
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 04:59 pm: |
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Yvettep - thanks for posting the Baldwin link. It was very interetsing. I will share it others.
Chrishayden I hear you. However poetry is not dead. I'm sure Urban_scribe's facts are acurate, but that does not mean it is dead.
Poetry will live as long as there are humans. Cynique's piece illustrates that fact.
I appreciate the fact that because I'm in a major urban center, that I may have a skewed perspective. But there are poets and publishers of poets doing there thing all across the country.
DuEwa Frazier's (http://authors.aalbc.com/duewamfrazier.htm) book Check the Rhyme: An Anthology of Female Poets & Emcees was published by her own company, Lit Noire Publishing, was nominated for a NAACP Image Award.
Jessica care Moore Poole's (http://authors.aalbc.com/jessica.htm) Moore Black Press publishes not just her own work but Danny Simmons, Saul Williams, and b-baller Etan Thomas.
I could defintely go on.
I get as many poetry book for review consideration as novels. The most recntly posted poetry book review may be found here: http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/likeness_of_being.htm it is called the Likeness of Being: A Poetic Look at Friends and Strangers by Nathan M. Richardson. The book was reviewed by yet another poet, Dr. Jamie Walker.
Chris I believe the names of Haki, Nikki and Amiri still ring because SO many people appreciate what they have done in the past and continue to do today. This should not be conscured is not a slight on "todays" poets.
Poetry is not dead. It may not attract as much attention or money as good strip club and you may not like what the youngin's are doing today, but it is not dead.
Perhaps it is like the wilted plant... in need of a little water |
Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 4108
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 05:29 pm: |
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Poetry is not dead. It may not attract as much attention or money as good strip club and you may not like what the youngin's are doing today, but it is not dead.
(Okay Imus. It don't attract the attention of a hotdog stand and it is because the poets are weak as water. They're all trying to be Carl Phillips. |
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 587
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 09:02 pm: |
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Afrika I visited your clearblogs site, but my browser warned that your site was trying to download something so I did not bring up that page.
Chris, why do you say the poets are weak? because they are on Broadway? Because they are publishing books in greater numbers than ever before, because they have kept names like Gwendolyn Brooks, Sonia Sanchez in the fore front. Because they are the fuel of the rap industry? I don;t really understand what you mean by weak?
I did visit your authorsden page and see that you read a lot in the DC area, Do you know Kwame Alexander? Speaking of Kwame, this brother used to have a publishing company called Blackwords -- published poetry. Sponsored an terrific event in that last 90's -- Chris this multiday poetry event in MD attracted hundred of people: http://events.aalbc.com/poetry.htm
The event featured folks like Askia Toure, Kalamu ya Salaam, Tony Medina, wadud, Tracie Morris, Glenis Redmon Sherer, Toni Asante Lightfoot, and more. I would call any of them weak -- as far as I know all of them continue to grow in the art form know as poetry.
You must be playing devil's advocate right?
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Nafisa_goma
Regular Poster
Username: Nafisa_goma
Post Number: 109
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 02:22 am: |
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UrbanScribe,
I would "partially" agree with you, but then there are still about 50 poets in this country who can move 10,000 units a year and do so.
We (DOK) published Kola Boof's "Nile River Woman" in the United States for Black History Month 2004.
It only sold 412 copies in 2004.
But in 2005, the sales started to grow when
several popular poetry journals and web sites asked permission to "reprint" the poems and Kola got world press when John Garang died and she was asked to write the poem for his funeral.
We sold 1,645 copies in 2005.
For 2006, we sold 2,191 copies.
In the next few weeks, her latest poetry collection will be listed by our house, "EGYPTIAN-SUDANESE-AMERICAN: New Poems by Kola Boof". It goes on sale in two weeks at Amazon.Com and will be released in November.
I also understand that Jessica Care Moore and Maya Angelou's poetry sells really well. I'm not sure it's fair to say it's dead. Galway Kinnell, Alice Walker and Maya Angelou recently had new releases and all three have sold more than 10,000 units.
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Afrika
Newbie Poster
Username: Afrika
Post Number: 50
Registered: 06-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 08:17 am: |
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Greetings,
If anyone wants to make any comments about my article, please send them to me via email at Aashawarrior@aol.com and thank you for visiting my sites. There is nothing wrong with my blog site. Again, for those that wish to speak with me, please do not post them here. Please email me.
Thank you
Cordially,
Afrika Midnight Asha Abney
www.authorsden.com/afrikamaabney
www.clearblogs.com/afrikamaabney |
Urban_scribe
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Urban_scribe
Post Number: 417
Registered: 05-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 - 01:46 pm: |
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Correct, Nafisa. There are some poets who can and do sell, and make a handsome living off their poetry. I'm not saying there aren't nor am I downing poetry itself - love poetry - but overall the poetry market is slow and low-paying.
So if someone loves poetry and choose it as their medium, they should be aware of the market pitfalls. That's all I was trying to point out. But rather viewing the facts I presented as helpful info, some people saw it as a personal attack against those who write poetry. I know we artists are sensitive, but DAMN! |
Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 4205
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 21, 2007 - 11:27 am: |
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The POETREE is dead
'Nuff said |
Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 4206
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 21, 2007 - 11:36 am: |
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Chris, why do you say the poets are weak? because they are on Broadway? Because they are publishing books in greater numbers than ever before, because they have kept names like Gwendolyn Brooks, Sonia Sanchez in the fore front. Because they are the fuel of the rap industry? I don;t really understand what you mean by weak?
(They WERE on Broadway only because they were backed up by Russell Simmons. They ain't there now.
There are hundreds of poetry books, selling in the tens. If a poetry book sells 10,000 copies it is front page news. If E Lynn Harris wrote a book that sold 10,000 copies he would shoot himself.
Furthermore, many poets do not consider slam or open mic poets or Def Poetry Jam poets. A shame because those are the only people who are causing any kind of stir. Gwen Brooks is dead and Sonia Sanchez made her bones in the 60's--name somebody coming to the fore now.
Poetry has had nothing exciting going on since the Kevin Powell anthology IN THE TRADITION and Sapphire and Paul Beatty were kicking ass and taking names--the 90's.
It is dead, dead dead. Even The POETREE is dead. You couldn't even keep it going here)
did visit your authorsden page and see that you read a lot in the DC area, Do you know Kwame Alexander? Speaking of Kwame, this brother used to have a publishing company called Blackwords -- published poetry. Sponsored an terrific event in that last 90's -- Chris this multiday poetry event in MD attracted hundred of people: http://events.aalbc.com/poetry.htm
(I don't have an authorsden page that I know of. The last time I was in DC it was April 1968 and Negroes were burning it down and there were tanks in the street--ahhh some Poetry was getting rapped then.)
The event featured folks like Askia Toure, Kalamu ya Salaam, Tony Medina, wadud, Tracie Morris, Glenis Redmon Sherer, Toni Asante Lightfoot, and more. I would call any of them weak -- as far as I know all of them continue to grow in the art form know as poetry.
(They all made their bones in the 60's, 70's and 90's. Where is the NEW blood? Where are the NEW poets? Sitting around writing weak crap so they can get tenure at the university. Squinting behind their thick glasses and unsweetened tea.
Everybody with some BALLS, GUTS, and VISION must be going into business or politics.
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Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 8377
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 21, 2007 - 01:49 pm: |
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Why is poetry dead? Did poets, themselves, kill it because they assumed somebody beside themselves would be enthralled with their self-indulgent, marathon, enigmatic stream of consciousness pieces? Yes, epic poems and long ballads have always been around, but this is the age of the quick fix and rhyming couplets are more engaging than rambling free verse. Is poetry suffering the effects of becoming too esoteric? |
Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 4214
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, April 23, 2007 - 01:06 pm: |
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Why is poetry dead? Did poets, themselves, kill it because they assumed somebody beside themselves would be enthralled with their self-indulgent, marathon, enigmatic stream of consciousness pieces? Yes, epic poems and long ballads have always been around, but this is the age of the quick fix and rhyming couplets are more engaging than rambling free verse. Is poetry suffering the effects of becoming too esoteric
(That certainly is part of it.)
I swear though, that Troy Johnson is a slick Mother Hubbard. He kills the Poetree and then talks about how poetry ain't dead.
Haw! |
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 599
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, April 23, 2007 - 10:48 pm: |
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Chris, the authorsden site question about DC readings was directed to Africa and she responded
The "POETREE" is dead. I did not murder it, it withered away... The chart on the bed read: "DNR".
Hummm, I would have to admit that the "POETREE's" lack of popularity is indicative of poetry fading popularity, but not it's death.
Look, folks post more on the culture board in one week than they did all year on the POETREE board. The poetry ALWAYS needed a moderator. Someone to prompt discussion post a poem critique a posted poem, raise and issue etc.
In the early days of AALBC.com Poetry was a much larger component or the site. Saul Williams was the top selling author on the site.
I created the poetry to serve an audience, but other than Sis Sheree Sarana and Rondall Brasher no one else has expressed an interest in moderating the board.
People rather talk about that gray haired pimp Imus than Saul Williams.
Again, I concur that poetry is fading in poularity, but if it is dead so are we.
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Rondall
Moderator
Username: Rondall
Post Number: 92
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 - 10:59 am: |
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Troy,
That was beautifully put...
Poetry/Poetree is not dead by a long shot. It pimped, like hip hop and it is in recovery. Writers wanted to be famous Slam poets and now Slam poets are trying to become writers.
I have personally "sold out" by order of a corporate injunction. Life has been moving a million miles an hour and I want it go faster.
It saddens me to write that because I know more than ever: if you do not use your voice it will fade.
I am not ready to help to announce the death of Poetry/Poetree, but unfortunately I am also not sure if we still have the breath to resuscitate it.
By the way Troy...I just accepted a promotion and I am moving Houston, TX. It has taken a lot to get here and my apologies for ignoring my reponsibilities here. I have at least twenty books I have purchased that I need to review.
Let's get it started...
Mo' money but no mo' excuses. |
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 606
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 - 06:56 pm: |
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There was a good artile in Publishers Weekly 4/16/07 issues which spoke about Poets House: "...a public literary center and poetry library containing more than 45,000 volumes, located in SoHo in Manhattan."
During the month of April they are host their annual showcase where they are going to display as many of the previously year's poetry books as they can gather. The aritcle goes on to say that 2,162 titles are in the showcase this year; published primarily by independent presses. No indication the poetry is dying here.
And before you say it Chris; I know New York is not like the rest of the country...
Hey Rondall, whats up man? You gonna give the Poetree mouth to moutth and some TLC. Sis Shree reached out to me recently. She sound like she is doing well, but life has its demands.
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Nafisa_goma
Regular Poster
Username: Nafisa_goma
Post Number: 111
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 10, 2007 - 08:14 am: |
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Update.
Kola's new poetry book is getting excellent reviews already. To Abm they mentioned Charles Stepney in this review.
http://www.amazon.com/Egyptian-Sudanese-American-Poems-Kola/dp/0971201919/ref=sr _1_7/102-1397104-5881737?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178798822&sr=8-7
*Don't miss my post about the incident with Kola's feet. I'd like to hear from the men on that subject.
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