Javier, I see your point. I actually didn’t read Espada’s comment as disparaging, but as critical not of any particular one poet or poets but of a larger or popular trend of political poetry that he wishes would aspire to something else. I feel like this is the role of our mentors – to push younger poets out of their comfort zones. “Tough love,” as I’ve written above.

You are right; there is a time and a place for criticism, and in celebration of Pompa’s good work, this is what folks should focus on, rather than on what it is not.

My issue is that I would like to know to whom is Espada referring when he says, “the overheated language that all too often consigns poetry of social conscience to oblivion.”

My point is that one person’s oblivion may be another persons’s tradition.

In addition, I don’t know why this disparaging is necessary to celebrate Pompa’s poetry. I know Pompa’s work; there is enough there to talk about in positive terms without contrasting it to some other work that apparently has been lost to oblivion.

Look at Cave Canem over the years: its faculty, the community of writing professionals, editors, and writers that sprang from it, all the scholarly work it has inspired (including a number of participants who went on to MFA’s and Ph.D.’s AFTER attending–contrary to popular belief that only grad students go to CC), and the poets traditionally affiliated with it (including a Pulitzer Prize winner who was first a Cave Canem prize winner). It ain’t no University writing program, but to my mind, it is just as prestigious. Also, F, while you’re right that the competition is open to all walks, I think it’s a safe bet that the majority of entrants into the competition are/were affliated in some way with the retreat and its community. Given all this, I am disappointed in Major’s decision as well. Highly so. Has the quality of the work dropped off that drastically from one year to the next? Having read four entries from the competition myself (albeit informally), I’m hard-pressed to say yes. But what do I know?

@ Collin: Agreed. Agreed. Agreed.

@ Barbara again: A thoroughly enjoyable interview with Martin appears in the latest issue of THE WRITERS’ CHRONICLE, put out by AWP. He talks deftly about the intersection of craft and politics…despite his interviewers! I’d love to engage him in a conversation on the craft of political poetry. In fact, I just might… oooooo!