art

Poetic Prejudice

One of my areas of responsibility as Dundurn’s publicity assistant is preparing our submissions to various literary award programs. You’d be surprised the kind of niche awards that are out there: best book about science; best first novel by a writer of Scottish heritage; best illustrated work with footnotes under 30 words each.

Ok, I may be exaggerating.

Because I’m the new designated “awards person” I get forwarded any notices about awards that arrive at our office, be it by post or email. I’m finding it a good way to learn more about the industry – after all, you get a sense of what kind is being published throughout the industry and what particular work is being honoured.

It’s also fun to see what kind of prizes are out there for writers, given that being an author is sometimes regarded as a “pro-bono profession.” I was intrigued this week when this announcement came into my inbox:

“The Griffin Poetry Prize Announces Prize Award Increase from $100,000 to $200,000 and the 2010 International and Canadian Shortlist”

Aside from the $200,000 in prize money, what caught my eye is the literary category: poetry. This is one area in which Dundurn hasn’t published extensively, and yet, it is one that is perhaps among my most beloved. I wouldn’t go so far to say that I’m a “poet”, but like many people I dabble with a bit of writing as a creative outlet and tend to form my work by poetic standards versus prose. On the encouragement of others, I’m trying to work up the nerve to submit a few of my pieces for publication.

I think poetry gets a bit of a bad rap. Maybe all the metaphors and other rhetorical devices make it too hoity-toity for some., but there seems to be a stigma that poetry is for the academia, not the everyman. Am I wrong?

© 2010 Defining Canada.