I am working on a statement

Dear friends,

Today I received an important message from a respected American Indian poet. To honor their privacy, I won’t share their name, but it’s become clear that many poets feel hesitant—some even fearful—about participating in this year’s contest.

Poetry

Writing great poetry is hard! Especially with sensitive subjects like in 2021 with ‘Get Ready To Die’, in 2023 with ‘I Never Could Talk To You’ and this year with ‘Turtle Island’. It carries weight, it demands reflection, rigorous study, lived experience, courage, and qualities that sometimes elude description.

Statement

Last year we confronted a similar challenge with Edgar Allan Poe: questions arose about his connections to slavery, and a poet I count as a brother chose to boycot our festival in protest. Together though we issued this statement: https://poetrydowntown.com/edgar-allan-poe-slavery-statement/. Below you’ll see a photo of us in our Poetry Cab jackets during Poetry Cab 2023.

What happens next?

I’m drafting an official statement to replace the note I posted a few days ago. It will appear on our homepage, in the top menu, and in the footer. My goal is to clarify my intentions—and, if necessary, to address any concerns—in order to ensure that our celebration uplifts rather than harms anyone.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Erik van Loon