diVERSES reKINDLED: In Conversation With Larry Robertson

The truth about craft can feel sobering.

Several months ago, I had a chance to sit with The Poetry Festival founder, Larry Robertson. I had wrapped up running Columbus's first poetry conference, the Poet Assembly; Larry had just held his second festival, and we wanted to rap about our experiences.

A note that emerged reinforced a conclusion I had reached some years prior. Craft in a discipline is not enough. There comes a point when the contest, the publication, the judge cannot pick wrong based on ability--because the floor has been raised so high, craft is no longer a separator.

A poet or any other artist will struggle to make a name based solely on the quality of the work.

For Larry, this meant ensuring the festival was, among other things, able to build around his focus--a celebration and approachable poetry production. For the Poet Assembly, it meant focusing on developing the other aspects where many poets are lacking--conveying original thought and having opportunities to present on metalanguage concepts around poetry.

This does not mean craft has become less important. It's the opposite, an entry level requirement, just as a PhD can be a requirement for an entry level teaching position.

From there, the question to ask may be what the uniqueness, or even mission you have for your art, is.

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Full conversation with poet Larry Robertson and poet Geoff Anderson: https://youtu.be/Un0jCoAOxSk