Inspiration 101

Poetry

Filed In:

Poetry

Dateline: 12/10/96

INSPIRATION 101 How To Bite Deep Into The Media, Releasing the Strong Protein Juice of Inspiration

Let's face it: it's an Anti-Poetic Age. Until recently, poetry was considered extinct. You had to be dead to be a poet. Now that a new generation has rapped and slammed the art back into the heart of culture, we're stuck with the times themselves. Can we find the poetry in the Triumph of Capitalism, in the genealogy charts of international corporations? By utilizing the media, aren't we witnessing the MTVization of Poetry?

Poets, Rewrite! What we are witnessing is the Poeticization of MTV!

When Das Kapital began to seduce Sweet Poesy, Gary Mex Glazner fought back in the way only poets (hint: We Are All Poets) can: he wrote a poem!

Glazner, Webmaster of Headless Buddha, fomenter of the guerrilla spoken word distribution system Words on Wheels, author of Animal Tongues (Road Kill Press) has "poetry" as his prime interest on his AOL profile. That's why he thinks he received the following email:

Hi there, my name is Jan. I was searching AOL's Member Directory for a kindred spirit when your name came up. I hope my e-mailing you isn't an intrusion. . . if it is, don't respond and you'll never hear from me again! (I'm not selling anything <g>.) I saw from your profile that you're into writing or reading as a hobby. So am I! I've spent untold hours searching AOL for creative outlets. I generally hang out in the Amazing Instant Novelist area (keyword: NOVEL) here on AOL. They have a number of message boards devoted to writers and readers, including two contest boards for posting short stories and two poetry contest boards, as well as a board devoted entirely to humor. (I won first place one week - what a rush!!!) Another board is for editorializing & debate and they also have a games board. I tend to hang out most often in the Long or Short Stories boards. If you're ever in the neighborhood, be sure to drop in! You might also be able to catch me in their Instant Cafe chatroom now and again. What areas on AOL, if any, do you frequent that you might recommend for prose and poetry lovers? We creative, sensitive types have to stick together <g>. I thought we might be able to exchange info. Thanks for your time! And again, if my e-mailing you out of the blue like this bothered you, I'm truly sorry and it won't happen again. It's just so good to find people online with similar interests. Jan

Now, we happen to like Dan Hurley, the 60 Second Novelist over at AOL. But Jan's treacle letter is a transparent ;), a come-on that makes one think, "Aw, come on!" Glazner sees through this hoax -- Jan's polly-coddled language is but a ploy to gain market research and get more hits on the NOVEL site! -- and responds the way a poet does best -- HE WROTE THE FOLLOWING EPISTOLARY POEM!!!

Dear Jan, I'm a cyber-slut. I lurk in chat rooms luring newbies into web sex to jack up their billing charge. My bosses would fry me If they knew I was telling you. Man, woman, child, fat, skinny, you never know who you are really dealing with. I'm blond and busty does that get you typing with one hand. I do love you be careful. I'm not the only one there are lots of us netilos, borg-whores Hey I gotta go. . . here comes my boss. . . love and peas, Poetmex