Postcards from the Imagination

Louise asked, "Hi Seth-- I have a question-- and mean to imply nothing by it, simply am curious to what your answer would be. If you were selected to appear in the series, would you decline the offer?"

To which I answered, "Louise, I can't answer for Seth, but for myself the answer is yes. At this point, for a whole host of reasons, I probably would not permit one my own poems to reprinted in BAP. (Not that I suspect I'm on the verge of being asked, mind you. And for the record, there's no chance I'm suffering from an exclusion complex, as my first poem was not published until early 2006.) That may sound catty or immature, but I think the project is sufficiently ill-conceived and poorly executed, that I would prefer not to be associated with it.

I don't intend that as a judgment upon those those who have made, or would make, a different choice. To each her own.

I do, however, believe that all of us who put our work out in the public eye ought to expect criticism. And when one is associated with a project that boldly elevates its contributors by deeming their work the "best" American poetry has to offer, one ought to expect some very pointed criticisms--not of one's character, but of the work itself and of the larger project."

Additionally:

• When PD reprinted one of my own poems, someone in the blogosphere said they found it "trite and derivative." I'll admit it's not the most stinging criticism I've ever (or will ever) receive, but it's criticism nonetheless, and I don't see how it would serve anyone's interest, least of all my own, to begrudge this critic his opinion.
  
  
• Jordan has a lot of good things to say here.
  
  
• I can't imagine the permissions nightmare anyone trying to publish an alternative to BAP might face--particularly if it was billed as such. I have a feeling Best American Poetry is sufficiently "institutional" that many poets would be reluctant to participate in such an oppositional project. And if that's true, it would render said project impossible. I could be wrong. If so, please do correct me. I'm sincerely interested in hearing what other people think.