Poetry in America

Was just talking with a good friend at a highly respected MFA program in the midwest who was understandably discouraged that most of the awards for Poets are consistently in the range of a mere $500 to $5000. OK, granted we're not the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, or the Scandinavian countries who put serious energy and effort into a public platform for artists and writers.... But really, in this season where the average person in wall street, advertising or fashion is looking at an enormous bonus, why has poetry become devoted to such a coterie audience. Has it lost all relevance? Or more deeply, been deprived of it by a culture which is drawn into best sellers.
It's amazing to think of the power and breadth of the impact of Walt Whitman who seemed to speak for the millions of immigrants coming to America in the 1900s. Or closer to our times the amazing impact of Ginsberg and the other beats in the 50s. These guys counted, influenced elections, created riots, were there at the 68 Chicago Democratic Convention. Adrienne Rich continues to levae a profound mark on her niche of feminist/lesbian readers as well as others who can see the power and genius of her work. But I can think of a dozen others writing who are virtually known only in the smallest academic circles. And who may sell one thousand books and are coping with a market where that's considered a drastic success.
What I feel to be true is that we always will need poems, we're in an age where so many other forms of profound entertainment -- including the blog -- are pulsing at the forefront of how people are inspired and ignited. Patti Smith reached the audience that she did because she could wed poetry to the electric ecstasy of rock and roll. My hope is that we're able to find a new place for quality poetry and alternative writing in cyber which will push us forwards to a new generation of the body electric...!