Pulp Paperback Poetry on Adelaide West

url: http://adelaidepoet.blogspot.com

It’s difficult to say who the intended audience for A Poet on Adelaide West might be. Although its content is comprised entirely of poetry, the blog walks a dangerous line by marketing itself more toward people who don’t typically read or enjoy poetry than toward the niche camp of readers/writers who deliberately seek it out. This marketing is evident not only in the eye-catching layout and the additional content included with each poem (a related image and question for discussion), but also in the poems themselves.

The poems on this blog are what one might call “pulp poetry.” In general, they aren’t the cryptic, elitist constructs that alienate first-time poetry readers. However, this also means that they tend not to be rich in the complex symbolism and hidden meanings that patient poetry aficionados enjoy musing over.

The author’s intended purpose for the blog -- a source of motivation and a holding dock for her work -- is also a kind of double-edged sword. Firstly, her commitment to post a new poem every workday means that there’s always fresh content, but it also means that sometimes the content is rushed, unpolished or just generally uninspired. Secondly, while the author often does post very respectable work (including some that has been accepted by recognized literary magazines), these pieces are frequently taken off the site after a few weeks to be submitted to print publications; the work that remains on the blog longer than a month tends to be the lower-quality pieces.

A Poet on Adelaide West was originally created for an author, not an audience, and that fact remains perceptible over a year later. However, for the right kind of reader -- most notably, someone who has an interest in poetry but feels intimidated or alienated by most of the better-known poets -- the blog can also be an accessible means to celebrate poetry in its innate capacity to express and connect.
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contributing reviewer/ee
Adelaide from A Poet on Adelaide West