Ever wonder why very few people read poetry these days who aren’t poets themselves? This is a poem about the horrible epidemic of bad poetry that’s invaded the small press. Literary Mags need to worry a bit less about being trendy and put a little more effort into publishing high quality writing because I’ve seen poetry published that was so bad that I wanted to gouge out my eyes with a spork.
You create a jumbled heap
of depthless jargon
that you pretend
holds some
obscure meaning
by spilling
fractured statements
of fluently regurgitated
random thoughts
onto paper.
Stylized incoherent rambling
is the latest trend
eaten up by mimics
of literary genius.
Poetry’s evolved into
a literary freak show
comprised of
soulless globs
of brain fodder.
You’re a fraud
peddling snake oil
under the guise of art,
making buyers skeptical
of all our wares.
Wrap it in ribbons
of pseudo intellectualism
but shit still stinks
no matter how
you present it.
February 21st, 2008 - 4:16 am
You should have a TV show entitled “American Poet” where you rip people into shreds, making them cry and run home to mama…hahaha!!!! BTW…I love this extremely truthful poem:)
Bobby Revell’s last blog post..The Beer Swizzling Dope Smoking Guitar Student
February 21st, 2008 - 5:52 am
You have such a way with words. Soulless globs of brain fodder? Yikes. I’m taking all the utensils out of your reach the next time I write a poem.
Some people do write it just for themselves, but I agree with you that anything published outside of that really should be of a higher quality. I don’t know how some things get published. Boggles the mind.
teeni’s last blog post..Live Poet’s Society Assignment #3 From Teeni
February 21st, 2008 - 6:06 pm
“is the latest trend
eaten up by mimics”
Wow. I often think that, but never had the WORDS to say it like that.
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February 22nd, 2008 - 7:01 pm
Bobby Revell:
I don’t mind wacky or off the wall but five hundred lines of ‘grape jelly staplers’ and ‘fuzzy toenails’ is enough to make anyone wretch.
February 22nd, 2008 - 7:10 pm
teeni:
I’m sure your poems are fine. It the ‘I’m such an artistic genius that no one can understand me’ type that pulls this crap.
February 22nd, 2008 - 7:12 pm
meleah rebeccah:
I only found the words after reading a five hundred line poem that could of been affectively used during the Spanish inquisition.
February 24th, 2008 - 1:38 pm
Really good write, and very true too. You either try to fit into the magazine’s mold or get rejected. I don’t understand how they expect all poet’s to write in the same style. It’s just boring.
Congratulations on winning your story contest! That’s awesome:)
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February 29th, 2008 - 2:36 am
Christy:
Thank you!
March 3rd, 2008 - 7:14 pm
LOL and this is EXACTLY why I no longer read or write poetry, at least modern poetry. People just throw out some words or phrases they think sound deep and figure people will either read something into it or pretend that they do in order to look good. Even worse is when they rhyme. Too bad, because true poetry is really amazing.
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March 4th, 2008 - 3:25 am
Marie:
Good poetry can provoke some wonderful thought and emotion. Bad poetry provokes me into wanting to take a bowl movement. It’s a shame that people can’t tell the difference between artistic licensing and crap these days.
March 5th, 2008 - 5:16 pm
[…] wrote a lovely poem, Poetry - Expressionless Art, which you simply must read. There’s a lot of bad poetry out there and that’s what this […]
June 24th, 2008 - 3:34 am
Hah. So true. Way too many magazines publishing horrible writings.
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