Poetry and the Masses

[billy]

I saw this discussion touched on in a thread, and thought it might make a good discussion here.

In my own words:

The idea was that poetry is too focused on grammar, structure, and highbrow words to appeal to the 6-7 billion people on this world. What we should do is move to something that appeals to the masses, and is more of a populous approach. This way would say: people like cliches for a reason, people aren't fond of grammar, or using a thesaurus.

those people can play scrabble and write hallmark poetry. i'm fine with that as long as they don't want to do it here, i suppose someone could set up a hallmark workshop though

If poetry is to be widespread it must come down from its self imposed perch.

who said it's on a perch, those who have never really bothered to read poetry other than in forums? poetry is widespread, it's in libraries, bookstores and amazon, it's even on piratebay how widespread does it have to be before it's widespread?

My view, poetry has never been popular. If the answer is to lower the bar to gain popularity, I'd rather all poetry burn. I'd rather we all turned on reality TV, and forgot about it. I think this approach makes poetry nothing worth saving.

you're right though i'd say good poetry has never been popular, almost everyone has written or read a love poem

Art should move you. This insipid dumbing down of poetry wouldn't accomplish that purpose. It would make it no different than Muzak.

ex lax should move you, senna should move you, for me poetry should lift you and lick your face or slap it with a wet fish.

Maybe I'm preaching to the choir (cliche for the masses) or maybe I'm not.

Thoughts?

if they like cliche, they like cliche. maybe poetry is a calling, a vocation of sorts. sometimes people see something and assume it's the real deal. some may not be able to see what i see outside cliche, nor me what they see inside cliche.