Poetry People - Conversation on Poets

Poetry has until recently always been the predominent language art shared by the masses. One suspects people can handle it.

Perhaps i'm too optimistic, but I dont' think we give people enough credit -- they can understand poetry, and will, if it's well written and presented artfully. It's simply that 99% of the poetry produced now is horrible.

It is so democratized, that people think that any emotional spew is poetry. Freeverse, in a sense, has been the death of poetry as a relevant medium for conveying societies important thoughts. I think, perhaps, that's where poets need to focus: learning the craft and perfecting it, such that the quality of the product is so good it can not be ignored.

• stephan