“… my ability to focus on a life devoted to writing is inherently connected to privilege, but that is not a universal truth." —LEIGH SUGAR, Poet of the Week
Hi ya'll, Leigh here! Wow, thank you so much for these comments. I really appreciate you sharing your experience and insight; certainly provides much more depth to my existing analysis of the issue. Many thanks to Only Poems for fostering this community, and to you all for participating. I also want to clarify that when I discussed "privilege," I meant more in the publishing, academic, and awards-sense, not in the literal writing of poems, which is, as many of you have mentioned, among the most accessible forms of expression (at least among those who are literate, which is itself a privilege). All said, much gratitude for expanding my mind and sharing <3
Composing poetry is accessible to everyone. Writing poetry is accessible to many people from various backgrounds, but not everyone. Getting your poetry published is accessible to some people. It helps if you have a secure income and plenty of free time. Becoming successful in a traditional sense is only available to those who have a secure income, plenty of free time, good health and good social skills :)
Most artists and writers don't make a living off of that, but rather via ancillary jobs like teaching, etc. So no, privilege isn't required, but certain types of privilege can help open doors--to grad programs, to jobs that don't leave a person completely rung out, too exhausted to write. And then there is the ability to afford book contest fees which can be steep if a writer tries a lot of competitions. But there are ways to get around access issues if one is motivated. It does make it harder to reach the upper levels, in my opinion, if that's important to someone.
Like others, I think there's actually 2 questions there.
1) Does being a poet require privilege?
2) Does devoting your time and resources primarily to poetry require privilege?
My thoughts, for what they're worth:
1) No, all it takes to be a poet is the ability and desire to express your thoughts/emotions, as well as the action of doing so.
2) Yes, you need a combination of 1 or more of these:
(a) a job that pays you to devote time and resources primarily to poetry (may I have this job, please and thank you?)
(b) a source of income that provides the means to live while devoting spare time and resources to poetry
(c) the spare time after securing the means of living to devote to poetry
That said, from what I've seen, the wherewithal to actually write poetry tends to strike most people intermittently (or only once or twice), while those who are for lack of a better word compelled by something inside them are more rare.
Writing poetry does not require privilege . As a person on disability, I have found I can write with the best. Because of this health condition, I am more empathetic and compassionate in writing poetry.
Poetry doesn't inherently require privilege, but historically, access to education, resources, and time has often been associated with poetry creation and appreciation, which can correlate with privilege. However, poetry can be created by anyone with a desire to express themselves, regardless of their background or circumstances.
I have a VERY passionate opinion here, but I really don't feel I dare express it. So, I'll just say "no," not in the sense of having "financial" privilege. And leave it at that!!!!!! Cryptic? I hope so.
It seems to me (looking over the ocean from afar) that there are significant parts of the USA literary world that is all caught up in MFAs. So smacks of priviledge to me!
However, there are plenty of ways to get your poetry out into the world and lots of free or very cheap resousrces to help an aspiring poet to inprove their craft.
Conclusion: It doesn't need privildege to be a poet. Yay! Says the poet on a tiny income....
Speaking for myself, not being privileged (no college degree, no money) only improved my poetry. Were life easier, I might not have much to write about.
I hear you on this. I used to write ONLY when I was broken-hearted, but then something terrible happened, I fell in love and things in life got easier in other ways and I struggled to write. I think it’s important to find inspiration in all stages of life, so you feel you can write even when you aren’t struggling. I’m personally on the lookout for more poems about good times … let me know if you find any : )
Such an interesting question! I’d say poetry doesn’t require privilege. Like sports or anything else, perfecting our craft and succeeding in terms of publication requires some kind of privilege. I’m a blue collar worker, and I have to take overtime to pay for everything involved in my writing practice: workshops, submittable fees, etc. Yet—I’m privileged to have the opportunity to take OT and pay for those things. I have a certain value system that won’t let me choose to work less and then ask for sliding scales and waivers for fees. It’s frustrating, though. Twelve-hour workdays = no time to read / write.
Maybe it doesn't "require" privilege, but the practice of written poetry does require the ability to read and write, which is still kept out of reach for some communities. Access to a variety of books, film, and music by a variety of authors, filmmakers, and musicians can be life-changing for young minds. Public Libraries and free access to museums are a necessity.
Where poetry may not require privilege is in folksong and spoken word--language and art that still thrives in a purely aural environment, memorized and passed on from one artist to another.
Excellent article, and so many great points. Especially about higher education being the most dominant profession among published writers—and that’s an interesting conversation! What do editors mean when they say they want underrepresented demographics to submit?
Poetry doesn’t require privilege. Poets just need something to write on so poems last a while without us. Getting published sometimes requires certain privileges but there are always alternatives. Poetry might be the least privileged art form, not because of its content or aesthetic but because of the general overwhelming lack of interest in it. But I learned about the potential of poetry at free open mics. Poets can create media to feature their work, though that may not help us reach the audiences we seek. Poetry can subvert privilege. Poetry doesn’t require privilege. It requires an audience and often that’s the poet’s burden. And if privilege is required somewhere, to me that’s an invitation to create an alternative. Poetry was probably popular around the fire long before the systems of privilege were established. Let’s keep it out there, in reach of those who care. if we’re poets, that’s our opportunity.
A very important topic! I would respectfully offer that it's not a trend necessarily; it might even be a tradition, the "cosplaying as working-class or poor." My eyes were opened to this back in the mid-'80s when, in my 20s, I first discovered that coming from a working class background (my parents didn't even go to high school) and trying to balance full-time office jobs with writing made me "different" from my art world friends. Back in Chicago, my hometown, I worked three jobs, seven days a week so I could afford to move to NYC and go to MFA school at Brooklyn College, which was amazingly affordable then: less than $5K, which I paid for it with a student loan, an internal scholarship for my last semester, teaching gigs, and my savings. After I moved, I couldn't even open a checking account in NYC then because I didn't have the $500 minimum! (I opened a savings account at -- no kidding -- Flatbush Federal Savings & Loan, down the street from Brooklyn College.) Meanwhile, my boyfriend at the time, who was raised in the suburbs and hardly ever worked because he had a trust fund, was basically "performing poverty." And many of our friends were performing poverty as well. I knew only a handful of poets and artists who came from my background. When I finally realized what was going on, it was like a veil had been lifted from my eyes. Class facts make certain people REALLY uncomfortable. I really should write about this myself. Hmmm ... let me make some notes ....
Although privilege is not necessarily required to pursue the practice of poetry, it is beneficial. Many of the poets, and other writers, I see getting their work published in lit mags, or on the masthead of such mags, have an MFA. That was never in the cards for me. I grew up poor, welfare cheese poor, and worked my way through college, earning a business degree because I needed a job with benefits. I was born with a heart condition which grew progressively worse until I needed a heart transplant in my thirties. Now, in my fifties, I'm living on disability income, and I finally am privileged to have the time to devote myself to writing and submitting my work. It's my life's dream postponed by a few decades.
TLDR: Yes, I see a lot of privilege in the upper levels of the literary community, but that's no different than any other community I've seen.
Hi ya'll, Leigh here! Wow, thank you so much for these comments. I really appreciate you sharing your experience and insight; certainly provides much more depth to my existing analysis of the issue. Many thanks to Only Poems for fostering this community, and to you all for participating. I also want to clarify that when I discussed "privilege," I meant more in the publishing, academic, and awards-sense, not in the literal writing of poems, which is, as many of you have mentioned, among the most accessible forms of expression (at least among those who are literate, which is itself a privilege). All said, much gratitude for expanding my mind and sharing <3
Composing poetry is accessible to everyone. Writing poetry is accessible to many people from various backgrounds, but not everyone. Getting your poetry published is accessible to some people. It helps if you have a secure income and plenty of free time. Becoming successful in a traditional sense is only available to those who have a secure income, plenty of free time, good health and good social skills :)
Most artists and writers don't make a living off of that, but rather via ancillary jobs like teaching, etc. So no, privilege isn't required, but certain types of privilege can help open doors--to grad programs, to jobs that don't leave a person completely rung out, too exhausted to write. And then there is the ability to afford book contest fees which can be steep if a writer tries a lot of competitions. But there are ways to get around access issues if one is motivated. It does make it harder to reach the upper levels, in my opinion, if that's important to someone.
Like others, I think there's actually 2 questions there.
1) Does being a poet require privilege?
2) Does devoting your time and resources primarily to poetry require privilege?
My thoughts, for what they're worth:
1) No, all it takes to be a poet is the ability and desire to express your thoughts/emotions, as well as the action of doing so.
2) Yes, you need a combination of 1 or more of these:
(a) a job that pays you to devote time and resources primarily to poetry (may I have this job, please and thank you?)
(b) a source of income that provides the means to live while devoting spare time and resources to poetry
(c) the spare time after securing the means of living to devote to poetry
That said, from what I've seen, the wherewithal to actually write poetry tends to strike most people intermittently (or only once or twice), while those who are for lack of a better word compelled by something inside them are more rare.
Writing poetry does not require privilege . As a person on disability, I have found I can write with the best. Because of this health condition, I am more empathetic and compassionate in writing poetry.
No.
The problem lies in its posing: "my ability to focus on a life devoted to writing."
Might also be put this way: It's really hard for me to be what I wanted to be as a grown-up when I have to work for a living!
Art and money go together just like everything and money.
Nothing special about poetry.
Poetry doesn't inherently require privilege, but historically, access to education, resources, and time has often been associated with poetry creation and appreciation, which can correlate with privilege. However, poetry can be created by anyone with a desire to express themselves, regardless of their background or circumstances.
I have a VERY passionate opinion here, but I really don't feel I dare express it. So, I'll just say "no," not in the sense of having "financial" privilege. And leave it at that!!!!!! Cryptic? I hope so.
It seems to me (looking over the ocean from afar) that there are significant parts of the USA literary world that is all caught up in MFAs. So smacks of priviledge to me!
However, there are plenty of ways to get your poetry out into the world and lots of free or very cheap resousrces to help an aspiring poet to inprove their craft.
Conclusion: It doesn't need privildege to be a poet. Yay! Says the poet on a tiny income....
Privilege as in what?
Speaking for myself, not being privileged (no college degree, no money) only improved my poetry. Were life easier, I might not have much to write about.
I hear you on this. I used to write ONLY when I was broken-hearted, but then something terrible happened, I fell in love and things in life got easier in other ways and I struggled to write. I think it’s important to find inspiration in all stages of life, so you feel you can write even when you aren’t struggling. I’m personally on the lookout for more poems about good times … let me know if you find any : )
Such an interesting question! I’d say poetry doesn’t require privilege. Like sports or anything else, perfecting our craft and succeeding in terms of publication requires some kind of privilege. I’m a blue collar worker, and I have to take overtime to pay for everything involved in my writing practice: workshops, submittable fees, etc. Yet—I’m privileged to have the opportunity to take OT and pay for those things. I have a certain value system that won’t let me choose to work less and then ask for sliding scales and waivers for fees. It’s frustrating, though. Twelve-hour workdays = no time to read / write.
Maybe it doesn't "require" privilege, but the practice of written poetry does require the ability to read and write, which is still kept out of reach for some communities. Access to a variety of books, film, and music by a variety of authors, filmmakers, and musicians can be life-changing for young minds. Public Libraries and free access to museums are a necessity.
Where poetry may not require privilege is in folksong and spoken word--language and art that still thrives in a purely aural environment, memorized and passed on from one artist to another.
Hi everybody, I wrote on this for Fence Magazine, here's "Six Problematics in Contemporary American Poetry"
https://fenceportal.org/six-problematics-in-contemporary-american-poetry/
Excellent article, and so many great points. Especially about higher education being the most dominant profession among published writers—and that’s an interesting conversation! What do editors mean when they say they want underrepresented demographics to submit?
Poetry doesn’t require privilege. Poets just need something to write on so poems last a while without us. Getting published sometimes requires certain privileges but there are always alternatives. Poetry might be the least privileged art form, not because of its content or aesthetic but because of the general overwhelming lack of interest in it. But I learned about the potential of poetry at free open mics. Poets can create media to feature their work, though that may not help us reach the audiences we seek. Poetry can subvert privilege. Poetry doesn’t require privilege. It requires an audience and often that’s the poet’s burden. And if privilege is required somewhere, to me that’s an invitation to create an alternative. Poetry was probably popular around the fire long before the systems of privilege were established. Let’s keep it out there, in reach of those who care. if we’re poets, that’s our opportunity.
A very important topic! I would respectfully offer that it's not a trend necessarily; it might even be a tradition, the "cosplaying as working-class or poor." My eyes were opened to this back in the mid-'80s when, in my 20s, I first discovered that coming from a working class background (my parents didn't even go to high school) and trying to balance full-time office jobs with writing made me "different" from my art world friends. Back in Chicago, my hometown, I worked three jobs, seven days a week so I could afford to move to NYC and go to MFA school at Brooklyn College, which was amazingly affordable then: less than $5K, which I paid for it with a student loan, an internal scholarship for my last semester, teaching gigs, and my savings. After I moved, I couldn't even open a checking account in NYC then because I didn't have the $500 minimum! (I opened a savings account at -- no kidding -- Flatbush Federal Savings & Loan, down the street from Brooklyn College.) Meanwhile, my boyfriend at the time, who was raised in the suburbs and hardly ever worked because he had a trust fund, was basically "performing poverty." And many of our friends were performing poverty as well. I knew only a handful of poets and artists who came from my background. When I finally realized what was going on, it was like a veil had been lifted from my eyes. Class facts make certain people REALLY uncomfortable. I really should write about this myself. Hmmm ... let me make some notes ....
Although privilege is not necessarily required to pursue the practice of poetry, it is beneficial. Many of the poets, and other writers, I see getting their work published in lit mags, or on the masthead of such mags, have an MFA. That was never in the cards for me. I grew up poor, welfare cheese poor, and worked my way through college, earning a business degree because I needed a job with benefits. I was born with a heart condition which grew progressively worse until I needed a heart transplant in my thirties. Now, in my fifties, I'm living on disability income, and I finally am privileged to have the time to devote myself to writing and submitting my work. It's my life's dream postponed by a few decades.
TLDR: Yes, I see a lot of privilege in the upper levels of the literary community, but that's no different than any other community I've seen.