"Is Poetry Part of Capitalism? Does Poetry Mirror Capitalism?"

Wow, that's a really boring question.

That's almost as boring as "What is The Rock's next movie?"

Poetry is like capitalism and old skool communism and socialism and anarchism and old tribal barter economies and lots of other things. Duh. Depends where you're standing. Or sitting.

The closer you get to the foci of power, the obvious cities and academic institutions, the more poetry tries to mimic capitalism, but it's like a retarded girl with pigtails trying to sing Madonna.

It's cute to watch, but not because you're enjoying the song.

That doesn't mean you don't love the child. Of course you do. I mean if you know how to listen to that song it's like a Kawabata short story. You'll cry tears of joy. I'm not being sarcastic.

Poetry pretends to be capitalistic in the foci of power, but "so much depends" upon the illusion of a supply-demand economy. I think this has something to do with dignitas. Poets love dignitas. It's their Milk Bone. There is no supply-demand economy for the avanty productions. Except from younger poets who want their attention and approval. I think we know now that list fits on one internet page thanks to a few merry pranksters. Syllabi quid pro quo, translation favors called in to create the illusion that the French were just dying to hear the latest poem by Poet X, the Swedes just had to have Ms. Y's latest celebration of her penis, etc. etc. Google those poets in the French language and see what comes up? In the Swedish tongue. That one anthology. One time. Reality Bites.

I'm not trying to be a Downer. Really, I'm not. So much depends upon these red wheelbarrows. Or the illusion of them. Whatever. Same difference.

Billy Collins is a capitalistic literary success story. Rod McKuen is too. That kid on Oprah. Mattie.

That's what people like to read. That's not news to anybody.

To quote Radiohead, "Anyone can play guitar."

Or should I quote the Christian Davies painting with the words "ASK ME HOW" floating over the exploding volcano...I should have posted that one too yesterday lol!

But when poets start talking about grammar or semiotic being intrinsically capitalistic from an essentialist point of view of like that, it's just silly.

You say tomato, I say serial killer.

That's not capitalism. It's evolutionary variety, unfortunately. Some are more aggressive than others. That's in universities and prisons both.

It is possible that Jack Spicer was joking when he said "My vocabulary did this to me." Dying alcoholics have been known to have a sense of humor occasionally.

But then he would have several schools of poetry to apologize to in that Morrissey voice: Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking when I said..."