On a practical level, poetry isn't something anybody has really made a great living at. I might sell some books and, once in a while, someone might pay to hear me read.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
A great many people seem to think writing poetry is worthwhile, even though it pays next to nothing and is not as widely read as it should be.
How much money you get, depends on lots of extraneous things. It depends on how good you are at turning poetry into a marketable product, which is something it was never supposed to be. That's why many people suppose that the better the poet you are the lower your income should be, and that's probably true.
In my life, I've seen enormous increase in the consumption of poetry. When I was young, there were virtually no poetry readings.
Anybody serious about poetry knows how hard it is to achieve anything worthwhile in it.
I find great consolation in having a lot of poetry books around. I believe that writing poetry and reading it are deeply intertwined. I've always delighted in the company of the poets I've read.
I've been surprised to learn how many people love poetry. It's beautiful to see that people want poetry in their lives.
People want poetry. They need poetry. They get it. They don't want fancy work.
For better or worse, poetry is my life.
I don't think I've ever read poetry, ever. I'm not really book-smart.
I don't live for poetry. I live far more than anybody else does.