While looking on a certain poetry listserve's archives for a poem by the late Jack Shafer, I came across this post I wrote four years ago. Here's a slightly modified version:
Here's a constructive post--Below are a series of questions about the poetry scene in Southern California.They are written in a more-or-less neutral fashion.No one-myself included-will know all the answers.But it may be good (just a suggestion since I'm not the boss of anyone here) to take the quiz to enable us to know each other better.1. Define poetry in one sentence.2. What inspired you to join [poetry listserve]?3. Who is your favorite nationally published poet?4. Who is your favorite Southern California poet?5. Have you ever read NEXT magazine? Opinions?6. Have you read the offspring of NEXT-poetix.net? Opinions?7. Who are the most influential past poets of Southern California?8. Who are the most influential current poets of Southern California?9. Who are the hosts (past and present) who have been the most influential in creating and sustaining the recent SoCal scene?10. Below are some past and present SoCal poets chosen at random.Grade your knowledge of them and their work on a scale of 0-5;0 is if you've never heard of them.5 is if you're well acquainted with them and their poetry.AMELIE FRANK,BLUE,KATIE O'LOUGHLIN,PETER COCA,DON CAMPBELL, STEVE RAMIREZ,JAIMES PALACIO,VICTOR INFANTE,PATRICK MOONEY,BRENDA PETRAKOS,TEKA LARK LO,S.A. GRIFFIN,SCOTT WANNBERG,IRIS BERRY,PLEASANT GEHMAN,TISH EASTMAN,WANDA COLEMAN,LIZZIE WANN,DOUG KNOTT,THE CARMA BUMS,FRANCEYE,JUNE MELBY,MICHAEL GROVER,RAFAEL RENTERIA,MICHAEL PAUL,JOHN GARDINER,R.D. "RAINDOG" ARMSTRONG,LARRY JAFFE,MIKE CLUFF,PAT COHEE,MANUEL,CHIEF EAGLE EYE,ERICA ERDMAN,PETE JUSTUS,KEN SCOTT,JACK SHAFER,MICHAEL DATCHER,RAFAEL F.J. ALVARADO,JAMES "BOOMER" MAVERICK,MINDY NETTIFEE,JERRY QUICKLY,POETRI,RACHEL KANN,DONN DEEDON,HEATHER LONG,MATTHEW MARS (AKA NIBLOCK),BRENDAN CONSTANTINE,ROBERT ARROYO,HELENA LAZARO,ALICE PERO,LESLIE LEVY,CARL "CALOKIE" STILWELL,VIRGINIA VANOVER11. What, to you, was the most memorable program of poetry you have seen at Beyond Baroque or Tebot Bach? Or, if you haven't attended either or both readings, mention another venue.12. What phrase would you use to describe the current SoCal scene?A. It's fine as it is.B. It could be better, but I'm satisfied overall.C. I'm somewhat dissatisfied with it.D. I'm very dissatisfied with it.13. If you decided to stage a poetry festival, what kind of festivalwould you want for the local poetry community?A. The L.A. Poetry Festival is sufficient.B. A festival like the 2000 Pasadena festival, which featured poets from the San Gabriel Valley and other areas of SoCal.C. A joint L.A./Orange County festival.D. A festival similar to the annual outdoor poets' readings at theL.A. TIMES Festival of Books each spring at UCLA (concentrating onshowcasing nationally published poets).E. A pay-to-read festival similar to Austin, TX which showcases asmany of the diverse styles of poetry as possible.14. What kind of poetry listserve do you prefer?A. ModeratedB. Unmoderated15. Here's a question about past venues. What were the Onyx Cafe,the Iguana Cafe and the Rose Cafe? Discuss how each venue was/isinfluential in the SoCal scene.16. Name the SoCal poets you think will be the community leaders ofthe future.17. Do you think the SoCal community needs more readings or less?18. Which venues do you prefer reading at-those with or without restrictions on language or content?19. What do you think is the ideal way to deliver negative criticism of someone's poetry (i.e. being constructive without resorting topersonal attacks)?20. Which instructional text would you recommend to beginning poets?To more advanced poets?21. Should the SoCal scene attempt to draw more positive attention to itself? If you answer "yes", what would be the most effective way of doing so?Thanks for taking a look at these questions-and perhaps answering at least some of them.
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