Wednesday 29 October 2008

Public Poetry


Temporary Beach poetry
Originally uploaded by Island 2000 Arts

There's no doubt of the passion in this blog post from bluechrome but I strongly disagree with some of the sentiment.

I believe that poetry should not be restricted to a small group of people, mainly only those who write poetry themselves. (And no small number of these never read modern poetry anyway)
I believe poetry should be public art, not hidden in corners.
I believe poetry should be printed on cereal boxes, on bus stops, on T shirts, on shop receipts, on the radio, on TV, on wheelie bins, on rubbish bags.
I believe everyone who can read, can read and appreciate poetry.
I believe generations of English curricula have turned most people off poetry before they've left school.
I believe that there is a core of readers/consumers of fiction and non-fiction who, if they were exposed to the right type of modern poetry, would go and buy it.
I believe you don't need to dumb down to appeal.
I believe poetry should start in the nursery and go on to the retirement home.
I believe National Poetry Day is not only a good idea, it is essential.
I believe.

4 comments:

Roisin Dubh said...

Oh, how wonderful it would be if instead of stupid images of perfect people advertisers would focus of the language they use and create art in advertising.

Liz said...

Dead right, Kate...totally with you on this...just wish all that you list would come to pass...would make a great poetry declaration.

Sheila Killian said...

Curious - which bits do you disagree with most?

Emerging Writer said...

Hi
I started writing a response but it got all long so I'm posting a whole post with my thoughts, such as they are.