I've been to some bad poetry readings, readings where the poet endlessly shuffled their papers, including dropping them on the floor; readings where the poet spend 10 minutes explaining a five line poem until there was absolutely nothing left for the poem to say; readings where the poet chanted or sang and even though I knew their poems quite well, I couldn't follow a word.

This was worse. Why? Arrogance.

Here are some sample quotes (or close to what this poet said):

I don't mean to brag, but. . .
I was married to a Big Deal poet.
I hung out in the Haight-Ashbury with Ginsburg et. al.
Some of my best friends are (insert names of big deal poets).
I studied with (insert names of big deal poets). They mentored me.
My Big Deal poetry friend wrote an article about how my poetry is part of the deep thinking of American poetry. I'm really deep.
I'm so deep I fall into an ecstatic swoon when I see Greek ruins, that's how deep I am.
I love the American voice. I am the American voice.
I write from the heart unlike the rest of you.

What did I think of the poetry? It's hard to say since I was still reeling from her rambling and annoying comments when she finally got to them. I liked two of them. The best part of the reading was in the Q&A session when she was listing poets she liked, she said, "I really like D.H. Lawrence's poems with the introduction by Rexroth, but no one reads that any more." I have. It was one of my mom's books from college, and I thought it was wonderful, especially the poem about the snake at the well. I think I'll go reread it this week-end.