THE POET BY DAY: What’s it all about?
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?”
Mary Oliver
What’s it all about?
In a quiet way, this site is a rebellion against elitism in the world of poetry. It specializes in featuring talented but lesser know poets and underrepresented voices. It also features poetry initiatives for peace, sustainability and social justice and poetry news, events and publication opportunities. It supports freedom of expression.
Its purpose is to gratify my own pleasure in the world of poetry, to acknowledge poets, to encourage poets and writers (including those just finding their voices) and to explore the world of poetry, to honor the space in which poetry bares witness and offers us comfort and vision.
The name “The Poet by Day” is not a reference to me. It is in part to remind myself not to stay up all night reading and writing. However fun that might be, it’s just not healthy.
“The Poet by Day” gives a nod to a desire I believe we share: that our art is/could be our day job. The name, however, is primarily meant as encouragement to take it a day at a time, to be present in this moment and in our work, and to regularly exercise the writing muscle.
I hope people write whatever the spirit moves them to write about in whatever form/s feel natural to them and without comparing their work to that of others or worrying unduly about publication.
“To gain your own voice, you have to forget about having it heard.” Allen Ginsberg years and years ago in Writer’s Digest
The daily order is to free your creative spirit, to find yourself in your art. Your poetry – or whatever subtle alchemy calls to you – is first a gift you give to yourself. All else will follow.
© 2018, text, Jamie Dedes, All rights reserved
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ABOUT THE POET BY DAY
- The Poet by Day, an information hub serving poets and writers
- The BeZine, founding and managing editor
- Beguine Again, regular contributor
- Second Light Network of Women Poets, professional affiliation
- Testimonials
- Disclosure
Jamie Dedes' THE POET BY DAY Webzine 