hallawayjoe

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hallawayjoe
Andyland

2002-12-31 4:03 AM
Vegas Poets 4

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On a personal note... poetry is a great release for me, and I enjoy having the open mics and slams to express myself. When it comes to people though... I am not so sure. I have not had any extensive dating come out of my involvement in poetry except for once back in 1994, and that was more because of other things. I have made many fine acquaintances and a few friends... but not any that I correspond with daily, let alone see except at poetry readings. In other words... Poetry does not make for a great social life in my case.

This year, when I came back, the scene was divied up because of a cabal. Not a real cabal... but a group of people who wanted to meet privately, and keep their group exclusively to read and discuss literature to each other. In September, the Poet's Bridge was unveiled. Not cabal related. The City of Las Vegas commissioned three judges to decide. Three judges that had been involved in the scene for several years. What happened is, they chose by majority decision who went on the bridge and who didn't. They chose people they knew and liked and who they could justify putting their poetry on the bridge because certain lines dealt with Las Vegas or writing. Sure enough, almost everyone chosen were poets who were big in the scene 5-10 years ago, but newer poets were for the most part overlooked or voted down. Essentially, a large amount of newer poets were upset. Some just at the committee for voting themselves onto the bridge, and some at everybody on the bridge viewing it as some cabal of elitism.

All I can say, is I know the selection committee are good people. I knew about my inclusion a year before, but did not think it would be controversial.

Because of the fact that I am on the bridge, which is a great honor, I am sort of distanced from my old friends. I am not ostracised yet, but by association, I am now an outsider among even outsiders.

At one time, I considered the poetry community, a sort of family, even though it provided a somewhat limited social life. Today, it is still a family, but a family that is not talking to each other, or going through divorce proceedings.

If the bridge did all this... what will happen when I win Megabucks or the Nobel Peace Prize?

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