Outro: Poets Give Advice to Their Younger Poet Selves

I want to revisit my post from the top of the week. It is my wish that all of the poets out there working on that first (or next) book can take a breath and forget about outside expectations, to tap into that oyster of their imagination and yank out a pearl. This is what I will for all of my poet brothers and sisters (and those who may identify as neither or both). This is also what I will for myself. It's hard being an artist--the uncertainty of it all, exposing yourself to the public, trying to maintain good mental health is such a competitive field. Nevertheless, when you realize that you are a part of a global community of artists scratching to make their existence visible, it doesn't feel as lonely. 

I leave you with some words from poets that I respect who had the following to say when I asked them what would they tell their younger poet selves:

 

My advice is especially to women, who get discouraged easily. If a journal rejects your poems but invites you to submit again, DO IT! The editor of a prominent journal told me that the men who get that message from him almost always resubmit right away. And women, not for months or maybe ever.

Sarah Browning

 

I think the young need to find their own way in the world. Wait, that's not true. Read, read, read everything you can get your hands on. Then try it yourself without anyone telling you how you should do it.

Richard Krawiec

 

Put your pen to the paper and let your music flow like the river you are!

E.J. Antonio

 

I think I’d tell my younger self to remember that stuff that kills in a reading is often unpublishable.  Sometimes your emotion and presence helps it go over a lot better than it would on the page without you.  So that’s where you can edit some. Can I make this poem a killer poem for the reader at home too? Remember that it always helps to know somebody.  Hope for a little nepotism without the kinship part, whatever that's called. Make friends, find time to go to readings, AWPs.  Randomly tweet and post people’s work to your Facebook.  Now, I don’t think you should do this to get in good with people (though it may work)-I do it because I want to support & expose poets & I believe you reap what you sow. So…sow.

Cedric Tillman

 

I think it's important for a poet to locate and understand their moral compass. Hopefully with this comes an understanding of the role art plays in providing a person with direction and meaning in life. Looking back, I think I would encourage my younger self to read the Book of Psalms. 

E. Ethelbert Miller

Comments

[Alan Wearne]

If you are a poet of progressive, left-wing. liberal [in the American sense]views and poems, I want you to imagine a comedian, a very, very good satirist-comedian acclaimed throughout the English speaking world; even those who don't like him acknowledging that he possesses something substantial. For many of course it's his politics which grate, because he is conservative heading reactionary...and there he is at conventions of the like minded wowing him with what he does best: parodies, brilliant parodies.

Now: how different are you well-meaning, pro-feminist, anti racist, pro the environment and above all ANTI-TRUMP poems be to those parodies written by this comedian? And if you can't find any difference then your poems are stuffed.

For it's no use wailing 'But I really mean it...' he means it too, does he ever.

So who is this horrifying individual? Why your artistic conscience of course.