Poem of the Week: 1.19.22

"The Poetry Section" by Ricky Novaes de Oliveira

THE POETRY SECTION

by Ricky Novaes de Oliveira

A big bookstore’s farthest corner
next to the vacant “Community Room” 
hides the poetry section
Beside knick-knacks and gift cards
thick books “For Dummies”
with ugly covers 
promising
“How to” and “No Fear”
and “Why”
do I look over each shoulder
for Coleman (misplaced)
but find Sin (displaying)
and disappointment 
and yearning 

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Read by the poet:

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Unfortunately, poetry is dead. At least that’s what a sensationalist at a big news company believes. While I agree with those who are pushing against this dumb claim, I can’t lie: poetry is not a mainstream art form. Good poetry is hard to find, and what’s readily available is kitschy “internet poetry” that is simplistic, romantic, and boring—yet ubiquitous on Instagram stories and neglected bookstore shelves.

“The Poetry Section” is a small bundle of frustration. I always get books for loved ones over the holidays (what else can you expect from a poet-teacher?). The past few times I’ve gone to a large bookstore, I had trouble even finding the poetry. Biographies, biographies pretending to be autobiographies, and fiction books with vividly drawn covers are all the rage these days. When I finally did track down the poetry section, the books on display were full of drivel like this:

       Her soft breasts, my whiskey breath:
       Why does love hurt so good?

We get it! You’re horny! Yet some editor out there thinks we need reams of these kinds of poems. Each book on display was some kind of snarky, lustful, and otherwise vapid poetry collection that strived for social media shares over literary art. The slender form of “The Poetry Section” is tongue-in-cheek, riffing on the staccato forms that you’ll find in those types of books.

I know I’m ranting pretentious, but it sucks! I often think my kind of poetry (weird, brainy, critical) has no place in the current lit scene…

But then I remember you! So, I keep writing and “yearning” for the day that poetry of the soul outweighs poetry for the masses. Thanks for that.

I hope you frequent some better bookstores than I do. If you have a favorite bookstore (especially one in the LA area), drop a comment so I can find better poetry books.

At the end of the day, I am glad that poetry is still alive and breathing, regardless of who is writing it. Deep down in my heart, I am even glad that Sin and Kaur are spreading poetry to a new generation. Even if their poems suck!

Judgingly, Ricky

Maybe my standards are too high… No. It’s the poetry that is bad.