Poetry and money outside the US

[nancylebov]

It's my impression that poetry is more respected in just about any country that isn't the US. Are there poets who are making a living from their poetry in other countries? It doesn't need to be an especially great living, but for purposes of this discussion, I'm talking about royalties from books of poetry and other media, and from poetry readings.

For purposes of this discussion, income from teaching doesn't count, though I realize that a poet might be making money both from poetry and other sources. If you can think of anyone whose poetry plausibly could support them, let me know.

Comments

[reddragdiva]

Anyone who talks about poetry having lack of market success without considering rap to be poetry is IMO defining their terms to get their result. Failing that, they need to set out precisely how it fails to be poetry.

[reddragdiva]

That IMO should be IME - the usual thing is complaint that their favoured style of poetry is not sufficiently popular, i.e. snobbery. Compare any fan of an out-of-favour style of anything complaining that no-one is interested in real X any more, therefore society has descended into philistinism. (This is only slightly a caricature.)

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

Canada has a paid position of "Poet Laureate", but it's only one person at a time and I suspect poetry-only isn't going to pay your bills before you get nominated.

[st-rev.livejournal.com]

The US has a huge and vital poetry industry. It's called hip-hop.

The idea of poetry as something to read in solitary silence is something of a historical aberration.