A Poet Rejects Subsidies

Regarding the article from Lynne Bronstein (“A Poet--An Endangered Species--Talks Back,” Counterpunch, April 10):

I have also been a poet for more than 20 years. I write for the love of the art and have had one of my poems published in a national women’s magazine. I sometimes venture into those warm refuges for poetry and often find myself unimpressed with the level of drivel passed off as poetry, performance art, visual art and even unusual films.

Which brings me to my point: I also work for a living and support not only my family but my ability to spend time in more altruistic endeavors such as poetry.

Why should my tax dollars be spent so others can do what I work to accomplish?

For America to support poetry as another “welfare state” is un-American. Whatever happened to sacrifice, love of the art, struggle and just plain hard work?

ROGER STRAND

Northridge