In the latest issue of Poets & Writers, Joseph Bednarik asks the question: "would you prefer a beautifully produced physical book, with the guarantee that it would find two thousand engaged readers, or no physical book, but the guarantee that through various means of publication--anthologies, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, and so on--the poems would find an audience of twenty thousand engaged readers. . . . Either choice has equal effect on job security and advancement, review attention, and financial rewards." He was surprised to find most writers he asked this question of informally wanted the physical book. You can take the opinion poll online at Poets & Writers, where currently the vote is running about 54% to 46% to publish via alternative means and reach a larger audience. I dunno . . . I think I would want the physical book most of all. Though I love all the alternative means of getting poems into the world as well.

I am reminded of something James Merrill said once about poetry, and its small audience, and if he wished he had a larger audience for his work. His answer went something like: "Think what one has to do to get a mass audience. I'd rather have one perfect reader. Why dynamite the pond in order to catch that single silver carp?