Yep. It's certainly stirred more interest than I had expected, but hopefully now, for some good.
It is clear that this type of thing impacts differently upon different poets, depending on their particular operational procedure/standard. Sadly, I also shy away from terming myself a 'Bush Poet' for very similar reasons. And I do feel sad when I have to do that because I love the Bush Poets, and so there's that underlying conflict of dearly wishing to support our movement, but having no choice but to distance myself from it.
A case in question was: Out of curiosity I attended a workshop given by one of those (highly celebrated...?)yuppie writer centre types. Amongst other insults, he bawled out over the entire class, ''You're not one of those awful bush poets are you?'' Needless to say he ultimately retired worse for wear...directly after he had beat a drum under his arm, & stomped his feet 'in time' to his god-awful 'poem' & proudly
announced, ''THAT'S Percussion Poetry!''....
(somebody shoot me)...There I was, indignantly defending our BP movement, but also trying to defend myself, when I knew there was some value in his perception. Not nice!It seems clear to me that the largely 'innocent' (naive?) oblivion of some, of the wider ramifications of 'pushing your own barrow'...which we all have to do...is at the heart of this problem. And it IS a problem...for the entire BP movement. What distresses me is how seemingly impossible it is to impress the importance of operating in a collectively responsible & respectful manner, upon some proponents of our craft. Perhaps the ABPA needs to formulate a 'charter' so that the issue then becomes 'formal' & anyone denying it therefore KNOWS they are doing so & can be judged accordingly, & subsequently endure the ramifications themselves instead of projecting them onto a colleague, or indeed the entire BP movement?
Despite our long colonial history we are still a fledgling movement, so we can only hope we can successfully address this issue now, & be able to look back upon today's problems as growing pains.
Thank you very much for your input Neil. Your experience & standing gives much credibility to these debates.
Cheeers
Glenny