ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

keats wrote:Oh for Christ's sake! If you want to read then bloody read! If the competition says recite then recite! The opportunities for ambush Poets to perform is dwindling significantly so either read where they allow it or perform by memory where most Poetry venues employ you for. This is becoming a very old arguement. So basically give a lot of thought to whether you want a paid career or just go out to do for the sake of fun (or ego). If you wish to make a career out of it, then be professional and commit your poetry to memory. If you just want to piddle about with small venues and little festivals, then bloody read it! The choice of where you want to take your poetry is up to you! So stop trying to justify reading poetry at every festival and event. Do it for fun or as a career. It really doesn't impact on anyone else!

Despondently

Neil