Two Really Good Essays about the Poetry Biz, by David Alpaugh

For those of you who are poets, or whose partners/close friends are poets I can’t recommend enough times that you check out these two articles.  David Alpaugh and I are long-time colleagues in the poetry world;  we were in the same poets’ workshop in Walnut Creek  about 30 years ago.  He was just getting started as a poet;  his day job was in PR/advertising.  It’s not surprising that he had an interest in analyzing poetry as a “biz”.

Here’s the link to “The New Math of Poetry” at The Chronicle of Higher Education: http://www.chronicle.com/article/The-New-Math-of-Poetry/64249

And here’s the link to “What’s Really Wrong With Poetry Book Contests” at Rattle: http://www.rattle.com/essay-whats-really-wrong-with-poetry-book-contests-by-david-alpaugh/

Be prepared to rethink everything about poetry!