Another cast on the choice of Prynnes' picture here, could be that this is the
choice of a very shrewd operator - he may well of thought that, in chosing a
jacket as his representational image, he would be the only one doing so and hence
would stand out like a, uh, sore thumb. In marketing terms, this is a pretty neat
move.
I'm not -that- convinced that anyone's works rises or falls on -it's merits
alone-. I think that's a very romantic fancy. In the software industry, you might
think (as several people in the firm I've worked have said outright) that
products stand on their merit alone, and nothing else should influence the
buyer's decision. The fact that most of the people reading this email on
Microsoft software would attest o'wise. The best mouse-trap doesn't always win.
What has this to do with poets/poetry? I think -all- poets, at most times, have
to market themselves, distasteful or not, in spite of all the tut-tutting that
sometimes goes on hereabouts. Whether this is ultimately more interesting than
their work is a moot point.
Roger.
----- Original Message -----
From: <[log in to unmask]>
Cc: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 16 November 2000 03:34
Subject: Re: Bludaxe
> >It doesn't stop me admiring the
> >Black Velvet Jacket's writings, of course not; but I don't think he
> >deserves extra admiration for winding the self-projection up in this
> >way.
>
> If Mister Brackets would rather be a jacket, then all hail him.
>
> I would agree heartily with his implicit statement that what a poet
> writes is more legitimately interesting than how he/she looks, or any
> marketing wiles employed by those who publish his work, decisions which
> ultimately have very little to do with the Author, real or feigned or
> simply asserted.
>
> Best
>
> Alison
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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