The Washington Post did away with Sunday’s Book World section several months ago, and it seems they’ve also done away with poetry. DC poet Sarah Browning has been keeping track of the poetry “coverage” and has concluded it’s pretty non-existent in the print edition. She’s written a letter to the Post and encourages others to do the same. Here’s an excerpt from her letter:
“I have carefully checked each of the past six Calendars in the print edition and not a single poetry reading was listed in any of them. Are the compilers aware of the large, vibrant, diverse, and growing audience at poetry events throughout the District and its surroundings? … Yes, the online literary calendar lists more events, including poetry readings. But that listing is hard to find on the website and even the link listed in the print edition is wrong. …Then there’s Poet’s Choice. The new print edition Book World doesn’t even include the web address of Poet’s Choice, doesn’t even mention it.”
I confess that I didn’t even know that Poet’s Choice—which I always enjoyed reading in the print version—still existed online.
Read the rest of Sarah’s letter here, and find out how to contact the Washington Post yourself.
And here’s this week’s Poet’s Choice. (Ugh to the horrible layout.)