Another poetry topic people shy away from: not buying poetry books/chapbooks.

I was reading Facebook the other day when someone I know who runs a small press (full disclosure: I've been published by him in the past) made a very truthful point; for all the people who have friended him, very few have bought books published by his press imprint.

And very few people "liked" or commented on his post.

Of course, this has to do with certain rules of poetry community omerta (silence).

Poets are tacitly forbidden to make general criticisms about the community (i.e. low attendance, not enough people buying books or chapbooks at poetry venues or on websites).  Apparently this is because people may recognize the limits of their own behavior/community participation and they might become uncomfortable--even if it's a generalized complaint with no one mentioned.

Also, poets are tacitly-to-explicitly forbidden to call out specific people on less than ideal behavior because the poetry community isn't seen as a strong redwood tree that can withstand occasional wear and tear, but (in these situations) as an oh-so-fragile twig where omerta is preferable to self-examination and/or admitting mistakes in public.  Because if you say something that's less than laudatory about someone, you hurt everyone--such is Poetry Logic.

New poem: EVERY WEDNESDAY

Introductory comments: I once remember filmmaker Stephen Frears saying at the Telluride Film Festival (think it might have been 1987 when SAMMY AND ROSIE GET LAID played there) something like: "What I'd like would be to have films which attack the British government get financed by the British government."  Needless to say, the SoCal poetry community has members who won't stand for disloyalty, criticism or not-abject-enough apologies for misbehavior--unless you happen to win the Pushcart Prize someday (then, maybe some restrictions would be lifted by people who suddenly want to Forgive).  Hence, the poem below.

every Wednesday
I'm reminded by others
about a place where they can go
and I can't
and I sit at home
with the metaphorical device on my ankle
that digitally shouts "BEEP BEEP"
every time I think about it
>
I was a man for a few years,
then became a loud monster
for just a few minutes
and the creature is all
certain people want to remember
so go ahead and have fun
remind me unintentionally of the limits
that I and others have placed
on both my behavior and my writing
being seen and heard by more people
than the people who hear and read it now
>
it's not your problem
it's just mine and mine alone
as, every Wednesday of my life,
I hear the horn on my ankle
intone "BEEP BEEP BEEP"
and since it's metaphorical,
it's difficutlt to switch it off
and throw it away
and be free again

Some SoCal poets really don't like me--and let me know it behind my back.

Over two weeks ago, someone who won't be named here alerted me to a conversation of Facebook (one I wasn't invited to) started by G. Murray Thomas on a blog post of mine about Murray needing to disclose close connections to small presses when he reviews books by poets from those small presses on Poetix.net.  The conversation started out reasoned and intelligent (giving thanks to Murray, who I have often disagreed with), then turned to personal attacks at my expense.  In a way, I deserve being hit with metaphorical baseball bats on occasion when I've said things (on this blog and elsewhere) that go beyond professional disagreements about poetry and poets.  But some of the comments made (by people in the LA/OC communities past and present) veered into a ditch filled with barbed-wire.  I will provide excerpts below, with most names named:
"And we care about Terry McCarthy's opinion because...? Oh, yes, he's been SUCH a positive force in the community."--Richard Beban (Hyperpoets reading co-founder)
".. I do not see anyone asking for his opinion for reviews, because he has no clout to back them up...and that is the exact reason that his blog commentary is harassment at best."--Lob Instagon (ex-Orange County)
"Let's throw rotten kumquats at the guy! Murray you rock!"--Zack Nelson-Lopiccolo
 "I'm now picturing a certain someone as an unfunny Rodney Dangerfield. This amuses me."-- Ben Trigg (co-host of OC's long-running Two Idiots Peddling Poetry reading)
"And I for one would pay good money to see a grudge match between [person who made first comment]and whats-his-name [me]." (Matthew Mars, formerly known as Matthew Niblock--co-editor of deceased poetry publication BLUE SATELLITE)
 " [Name deleted], he's the reason you don't hang out with the poetry community anymore? My dislike of him has moved to hate."--Ben Trigg
And finally, from a person no longer living in LA/OC I barely knew--and thought I got along with--over a decade ago:
"Clearly in person this fellow is unpleasant. (I have been accused of the same, BTW). His blog, however, seems somewhat confused, vague, and timid. I didn't see an "attack" on you so much as a complaint that you didn't like his stuff (this was implied). How does this guy get 27,000 hits on this blog? It's not nearly as interesting as my old [poetry website] reports. Ahem"--former Orange County poet/musician Mark Corwin "MC" Bruce.


Ladies and gentlemen, these are actual poets who believe in "community."