Boring Poetry and the Head vs. Heart Thingie

I’m promoting one of my comment box rants to full-post status here, with a bit of revision.

In response to Andrew the non poet, I have to ask: how much poetry have you read? Most folks who say poetry is boring either haven't read much, or have had it rammed down their throats by a really bad teacher. At least that's my experience. On the other hand, you really said “most poetry is boring.” This is true and no one should be surprised. It’s Sturgeon’s Law.

If a poet, though, thinks poetry is boring, or boring enough not to read it, then why the hell write it? I happen to think Lisa Jarnot is a marvelous poet, and I see nothing wrong with true crime books, if that's your thing, but what would compel an artist to create art that he or she thinks is, by definition, boring?

Musicians listen to music. Painters look at paintings. Actors and directors watch movies and plays. Poets--at least some of them--don't read poetry.

Maybe this is a sort of evasive post-avant pose. Maybe it's a cooler-than-thou stance that I can't adopt because I'm not really that cool.

Cool Poet: You actually READ poetry? Oh, that's so, er, early 20th century of you. How cute. I haven't read a poem in years. I don't even read my own--I just write 'em and send 'em out.

Me: Can I have a hug?

*

In other news, a good friend of mine mentioned, after reading “lucky error,” that I write “head poems” rather than “heart poems.” This floored me! If anything, I get accused (or maybe I just accuse myself) of writing overly sentimental crap. Intellect doesn’t play much of a part in my writing—at least not consciously. Maybe I’m smarter than I think I am. I’m no Kent Johnson. I’m no Josh Corey. Maybe I’m Sammy Hagar. I’d rather be Sammy Hagar. Heartless fucking Sammy Hagar. Ruthless motherfucker Sammy Hagar. Ruthless Hagar the Horrible. "Three Lock Box" is a rather good record.