Thursday, June 04, 2009
Outsider Poets
My review at Latino Poetry Review got some notice from Barbara Jane Reyes in the context of a post on that New Yorker article about MFA programs, and what it means to be an "outsider poet." I posted a short response that WordPress may have eaten because WordPress doesn't like the .info address. Similar thoughts are posted below. (NOTE: My comment on the post is now up too...)
I agree with a large portion of what she's saying--the only thing I see is that she may think I'm an "insider" using the term "outsider" as an inherent dismissal, neither of which is true. I'm sure many of you know I'm not one to push the MFA route as the best (or only) way to go, being a non-MFA non-teacher myself. There is of course a lot of slack junk that comes out of MFA programs, and plenty of good stuff from outside them. However, the MFA road clearly gets the bulk of the attention and the dollars, and not being part of the "establishment" is a major feature of any article published in the big press about a non-MFA (or non-teaching) poet (e.g. Frederick Seidel, August Kleinzahler, etc.).
In the case of Vargas, he has the odd background, the small presses that fly below the radar of what gets reviewed or wins awards, and his work that sets him up as opposed to a certain brand of poetry stuffiness. "Outsider poet" may be shorthand, but I certainly think it's justified with a simple explanation. I didn't like his books all the way through, but saying "outsider" isn't a value judgment on the work--I cover my thoughts on the content of the poems elsewhere in the review.
It's certainly also worthwhile to specify just what we mean and don't mean using terms like these. If someone were to refer to me as an "outsider poet" sociologically, I wouldn't argue or be offended, though I think my work isn't set as much in opposition to a poetic other, so it might be a fuzzier label for me.
I agree with a large portion of what she's saying--the only thing I see is that she may think I'm an "insider" using the term "outsider" as an inherent dismissal, neither of which is true. I'm sure many of you know I'm not one to push the MFA route as the best (or only) way to go, being a non-MFA non-teacher myself. There is of course a lot of slack junk that comes out of MFA programs, and plenty of good stuff from outside them. However, the MFA road clearly gets the bulk of the attention and the dollars, and not being part of the "establishment" is a major feature of any article published in the big press about a non-MFA (or non-teaching) poet (e.g. Frederick Seidel, August Kleinzahler, etc.).
In the case of Vargas, he has the odd background, the small presses that fly below the radar of what gets reviewed or wins awards, and his work that sets him up as opposed to a certain brand of poetry stuffiness. "Outsider poet" may be shorthand, but I certainly think it's justified with a simple explanation. I didn't like his books all the way through, but saying "outsider" isn't a value judgment on the work--I cover my thoughts on the content of the poems elsewhere in the review.
It's certainly also worthwhile to specify just what we mean and don't mean using terms like these. If someone were to refer to me as an "outsider poet" sociologically, I wouldn't argue or be offended, though I think my work isn't set as much in opposition to a poetic other, so it might be a fuzzier label for me.
