Readers Respond: Poets’ Work, Poets’ Jobs - How Do We Make a Living?

Do you call yourself a poet?... Consider it your “real” work?... But find yourself having to make a living at some other job?... How do you describe your occupation on your tax return? How do you define yourself when asked for a contributors’ note for a published poem? How do your friends introduce you to others?

Tell us about your jobs, the ways you’ve found to survive in the “real” world as a poet. Let's collect poets’ jobs and make a poem of them!

Poets and Cows

When the town is small / and the only employers are the / lonely or horny calls of cows / in distanced fields. // You apply yourself to education / in the hopes of one day gaining / a position as an artist or a poet. // Even the Cows know / you’ll have to supplement / as they tap, tap, tap / upon the earth they trod // Poets tap, tap, tap / no longer a pencil in the heard / and I think the cows, / well they sort of pity us? // But if we stood there / speaking out like Hamlet / even they might listen? // As we survive on student loan / disbursement and stay in school / to hold tight to deferment. // Until dreams come true / and something gets / noticed, or published / or used as compost / for their food. // Either way, it’s a win-win situation / or so we tell ourselves / with a Moo!

—Guest ElectricMedea

Don’t Give Up Your Day Job

It’s been said by many that there's no money in writing... especially not poetry! But write! Be passionate about it but work outside of your writing career. Take those experiences, good or bad, and make them your own. To make it of use to your audience read a piece by Marianne Moore entitled “Poetry”—from the 20 century but as fitting for today. (Guide note: Moore’s poem “Poetry” is here—http://poetry.about.com/od/poemsbytitlep/l/blmoorepoetry.htm.)

—bonuspoints

Facilities Coordinator, Box Cutter Man..

Poets toil, poets sweat, poets even steal to pay the rent. Even a bad poet could have an original thought if only he could get from under his boss’ death-grip. Submission fees. Subway fares. Sounds suspicious to me. But if they done it to Christ they can do it to you. He was a poet, wasn’t he? A carpenter with ideas that never hammered home--but nailed to the cross by his own verse. It’s 11:03. I’m still here. I've lost my voice. I still fear: I’m packing boxes, sanding latches, logging on and smiling so I can sing my songs at night. What happened to me? Somewhere along the line There was a dash I slipped between Crossing chasms & ugly paper Nasty train knees & looks of corporate dough; Somewhere along the way They locked my soul & took my place I donned a mask & hid my face But I sat at the table so I could eat Beneath the crumbling sky made of paper mache And tiny bleeding nails. I may die a nobody, I may work as a slave But in my heart there was somebody Driven Proud Brave.

—NomadJunkie

So Many Jobs!

So many jobs & vocations! Amateur at everything, professional at nothing. I’ve been grocery clerk, hardware clerk, delivered mail & newspapers. I’ve shoveled manure on a ranch (cowboy?), been soldier, student (not seriously), assistant archeologist, drifter (not seriously), & fruit picker. Gas-pump jockey, newspaper stacker, bookstore clerk & manager, security guard & detective. I’ve also been actor & model– & sometimes paid very well. The best job I’ve ever had was fruit picker in California– they picked you up for work & delivered you to your home corner in the evening– and they paid you in cash! Most boring? P.I.– in a parking lot all night watching a door & copying down tag numbers! Best overall? Retirement. ~Jack Peachum

—Guest JACK PEACHUM

Writing & Helping Other Poets & Writers

In 1983 I wrote a poetry home study course, which I used for years in working with other poets and writers. Also began writing and critiquing manuscripts in all genres, which I still do. I blog, judge reputable writing competitions, and hawk chapbooks that I self-published when asked to read poems or lead workshops. My traditionally published novels and devotionals are out of print, but I continue to write children’s books and school library resources, mainly for health, educational, and Christian markets.

—ThePoetryEditor