Selling Poetry

I've been thinking about the market for poetry; Gary Sullivan's recent post at Elsewhere on the subject made some interesting points:

People aren't supposed to want your book of poetry. And you're definitely not supposed to be seen trying to sell it, which is considered coarse or undignified. Somehow, by some miracle, it's supposed to fall out of the sky into their lap and by some other miracle they're supposed to actually read it, and the act of doing so is supposed to change the way they see and think about things. Usually, unfettered capitalism, but also about gender, race class, and/or the environment. Somehow, putting down your book, your reader has been transformed into a more intelligent, sympathetic, ethical person. Poetry, in other words, as a kind of cultural/psychic medicine. Which is not sold to you, but which somehow--busy Martians?--gets into your hands.

I think Sullivan's tone implies that he feels not selling poetry is rather disingenous. And it does seem that if you're creating a product, you ought to be prepared to sell it (though poets who are uncomfortable with unfettered capitalism are probably uncomfortable with selling books and trying to get money in return for their anticapitalist poetry). Selling books of poetry does seem easier said than done.

Of course, I'm a poet. I'm terrified of selling things. If I wasn't, I'd be in sales.