literary angst

[amelia_petkova]

Why must bookstores' poetry sections be so small? I went looking for A Shropshire Lad by A.E. Housman at Borders, Books & Music and it wasn't there. In the paper I'm writing about him I state that his poetry has remained loved, but it's hard to say that in good conscience when all of his writing must be bought online.

*headdesk*

Comments

[hasufin.livejournal.com]

Alas, people simply don't read poetry.

I wonder if it has to do with format - relatively few people are inclined to sit and read an entire book of poetry, but how else are poems distributed?

[amelia-petkova.livejournal.com]

That's an idea. I have very fat anthologies of poetry where I've read the entire thing, but it can take up to an entire year, and I don't read them in order.

[hasufin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but you're also a college student with a major in which poetry is relevant. Your relationship with poetry is pretty far from the norm.

[titivillus32.livejournal.com]

I've wondered that myself. Is there a better way to market poetry?

[amelia-petkova.livejournal.com]

We got onto this topic (minus my Housman) in Steinberg's class; he joked/suggested that the people who read poetry don't have money to spend on it!

This is why I love used bookstores.

Literary magazines are a good way to market it, but that relies on how many people read it. I've realized that I need to read more mags now that I'm submitting pieces. And of course if your work happens to get on the reading list for school at any age level, you're in.