Blogger Stories: Robert Bruce

Robert Bruce is an innovative American Poet who is using social media .. blogs & podcats .. to "throw poems around the world." If you haven't read a poem since your college days The Thoroughly Modern Man at the end of the Robert's story might be a pleasant surprise. 

Blogger Story Teller: Robert Bruce, Knife Gun Pen

I found myself frustrated with the obscenely long turn-around time on publication in poetry journals and with the incestuous nature of the publishing business in general. Seems if you didn't attend the right school or have a buddy or your grandmother working as an editor of the mag, you had no real shot.... I suppose this is how business is conducted in all industries.

I figured there had to be a way to take the stuff straight to the audience. Of course, the internet is the general answer. So, I started messing around with a static site around March 2005.  Played with the thing for a couple months and wasn't too happy with it. Wasn't too happy with relying on someone else (unpaid, no less) to update it. The thing bored me.

Then I discovered blogs. I fired one up (now defunct) back in June, went through four domains and three platforms (use WP now, would never change) before I landed at KGP. Taught myself everything through trial and error, when I began I didn't even know what HTML was.

Glad I did it. Not looking back.

If you've got something good to get out, don't wait. Do it. Do it well. The days of your life are few.

The Thoroughly Modern Man

They tell me that
I can have thousands
of naked women
at my beck and call
slipping unnoticed
through a tiny wire
in my wall

They tell me that
I can own the treasures
of China and Europe
by driving my car
a mere five miles
to their
weekend only
parking lot super-sale

They tell me that
for $59.95
plus shipping and handling
I can quickly learn to master
my emotions
my work
my wife
my life

And they tell me all of this
with a straight face
assuring me that
if I cannot
pay now
I can pay later

In January
Or something

I am applauded
even rewarded
for being a flat-broke
perverted pack rat
with a bad marriage
and no
self-control

It is an old place,
the Vanity Fair
but its merchants
now wield ivy-league MBA's

And its hours of operation
are no longer confined
by space and time

But only by
the imagination
and affections
of
The
Thoroughly
Modern
Man

Technorati Tags: Blogger_Stories, Robert_Bruce, American_Poet

Comments

[Robert Bruce]

Thanks much Toby.

I think you've got a great idea going here. Actually, a really nice and interesting resource for a lot of people.

Man, you've really been busting it getting all these stories together, I'm impressed.

Take it easy.