Earlier this summer, I made the personal commitment to send more of my poetry out to publishers and presses. My reluctance stemmed from the belief, right or wrong, that perhaps I had nothing to offer that discourse community. Making that step took some fortitude.
It has been several years since I was part of a college writing community, so I began by looking at journals I was familiar with.
The search has been heartbreaking. I realize that the economy has been poor. My husband is a realtor. It wasn’t like I could miss that memo. But to look up one journal after another and learn that they no longer publish, or went on extended hiatus has been frustrating and sad. The possible end to Chiron Review, one of the few Kansas presses, hit close to home. And I realize that I’m partially to blame. Like many, I wasn’t reading or subscribing either.
I know that many journals are caught between the advancements of technology and the aesthetic of artists that traditionally shy away from “machines.” Several of my professors eschewed anything more advanced than a typewriter. And yet there are some wonderful online entities that are actively sharing work.
So what can one lone poet do? I can encourage you to find your own journals to follow, to subscribe to, to read. Here are some suggestions:
Conte Journal of Narrative Poetry
http://www.conteonline.net/issue0602/splash.html
Apple Valley Review
http://www.applevalleyreview.com/
Poetry4themasses
http://poetryforthemasses.org/
Southeast Review
As of 16 years ago, when I lived in Boston and before all the technology jumped us light years ahead, Slam poetry and performance poetry was taking a firm grasp on the medium. No longer was prosody a studied art. No longer did poets concern themselves with technical virtuosity. It was all about mood and feeling and current affairs, etc. I read your post here with the same heavy heart. I wonder how many of the links you provided will remain.
There are so many venues that are beyond tradition and you are correct: we must continue forward. First, we must continue to read, draw inspiration, write and re-write, and submit to whoever may remain. In an artistic Darwinian sense, they will be the worthwhile survivors.
Or, the children yearning to grow into maturity.
Tikiman-I’m slow on the uptake due to school, but I really wanted to get back to you on this comment. Locally, we are seeing more and more slam/spoken word poetry. However, I really appreciate that the attitude between traditional poets and spoken word artists seems to be very collaborative–although audiences always favor the more ‘entertaining’ of the two. There reallys seems to be a mutual respect for ‘art.’
‘Respect’ is the key. It’s been a while since I’ve been to an open mike and longer since I’ve turned any serious attention toward my past poetic efforts. But art is always changing and we can find our niche when the wheel comes full circle.