The Outlaw Poets of American Poetry (1 Viewer)

Hmm. Well, your EDIT didn't really make anything clear to me. It still sounds like the status quo. "one mansion or two?" is extreme wealth, but "should I buy bread or water?" sounds like poverty. All I'm saying that doing things or embracing ideas that contribute to your own poverty is shortsighted and idiotic.
Eh, "should I buy bread or water" isn't meant to illustrate poverty. Poverty is more like, "should I eat the one day old loaf or the two and save the one day old for desert?". The bread or water is more like being humble. And not that you've contributed to your own humbleness by holding yourself back on purpose, no, just that well, you happened to end up there, and so be it, your work's still good. That's what I'm saying. As long as your work has soul it shouldn't really matter. But to TRY for the gold, then it affects your work.

mjp said:
I have to say though, I love the bit about the teacher with the "beautiful" new BMW with the "lavish" farm teaching the poor, deprived city kids. I wonder, does he park his "beautiful" new BMW near the school? Does he bring those kids on probation out to his "lavish" farm on the weekends? Someone call the pope, this guy needs to be made a saint. Get Will Smith on the phone. I think I just found his next shitty movie.
Yes he parks the beautiful BMW right in the lot. It is white and a bit dirty at times. I'm sure some kids go out to his farm - he's got facebook and all and adds everyone. And no, he didn't really try for the gold. He's a guy who enjoyed telling stories, and someone liked them, so they got published, and wound up selling well, in different countries too. Yeah it would make a good shitty movie.

mjp said:
I don't know what he was supposed to illustrate - he seems to represent everything you are saying is vile: the expensive car and property that he purchased with the filthy wages of his sold out soul. What I seem to hear you saying is it's okay to do the things that you find "disgusting" as long as you're, you know, cool, and still down with the little people. Is that right?
Yeah that's kind of what I'm saying. It's ok if it kind of falls into your lap and you're still honest. It's ok to do if you keep your soul. For example, I think Cadillacs have incredible soul.
 
And no, he didn't really try for the gold. He's a guy who enjoyed telling stories, and someone liked them, so they got published, and wound up selling well, in different countries too.
I'm not sure how he had his stories published unless he tried to have them published. They didn't flutter out of his funky old word processor on their own like butterflies, you know, and fly to a benevolent publisher and land on their shoulder.

Whatever he may have told you, whatever you may chose to believe, he tried. I've never heard of a publisher that has to seek out work by people who just don't care because, you know, there aren't enough submissions piling up on their desks otherwise. Especially one that makes royalty payments and has a worldwide distribution channel.

But I could be wrong. That's always a strong possibility any time I'm typing or thinking or my lips are moving. There are plenty of writers around here. Maybe they know of such magical situations and can set me straight. Tell me these kinds of things happen all the time. Because otherwise, it sounds like some bullshit (or hero worship) to me.
 
Even the extremely gifted and lucky ones are trying like sons of bitches, or they don't get published. It doesn't just happen. That would be magic -- possible but highly unlikely.

Nothing wrong with ambition, per se. It's what you will allow yourself to do to get there that is the concern. What you become on the way. Desire is corrosive. Worse is envy. Saints have ambition.
 
Do you have blond hair? You know, butter blond?;)

Haha I caught that when I looked at your sig. Always have loved that quote. I was blonde once, but, I feel the black suits me better. Or the red. But, I'm feeling the black at the moment.

And, Mr. JP, even when you know, you never know. Like I told a loved one today, you may drink yourself into one million dollars.
 
ugh.

anyone else tired of this thread?

outlaw poets is a stupid term.

I want to be published by the small press because they love words and publishing them and creating unusual and beautiful things to hold. but I also want someone from Harper Collins to read one of my small press books and be blown away and give me a book deal so I don't have to work part time in a department store like I've been doing for 22 years. I'm ambitious and proud of it.

cars don't have souls. except 1955 Chevy Bel-Airs. everyone knows that. it's on wikipedia.

and David Barker is a good poet.

I think that covers it?
 
anyone else tired of this thread?
I am tired of seeing "outlaw poets" keep popping up, but I like where the thread has gone.

But I've made my point, yes, and I believe everyone else has made their points as well.



Please don't hit me!

Again...
 
Not so fast. I think we should wait until some of the poets from the book chime in about how they feel about butter blonds and Cadillacs. Besides the book should have been about the meat poets.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top