Today on a whim, I changed me picture on the showcase section. The old photo made me look miserable and old, someone said. The new one – taken two years ago in a bar in Krakow – makes me look younger but a bit camp. That’s OK; I ‘m as partial as the next man to a bit of camp.

The thing is, why did I do that? Vanity? Well probably. I’m hardly a dead-ringer for Johnny Depp, so I like to make the most of my mediocre physical resources.

But am I – are YOU - also egotistical, always wanting to push my/your image everywhere? Well, I hope not. Humility is a great virtue, after all. Then again, I’ve just ordered new spectacle frames this week – because a mate said my existing par are old duffers’ glasses and they made me look like Harry Cross off Brookside.

OK, now I get to the point. We all write poetry. So we must want / feel the compulsion to express our emotions. I've just put up a love poem on the blog section, for instance. Most of us read out our poetry publicly – perform it if you like. Does that make us emotionally incontinent show-offs? Probably.

So do performance poets display a marked tendency towards vanity and egoism? More than other sections of society, I mean.

Now, to have an authentic voice as a writer you have to put something of your soul and (I’d say) your ego into your stuff. The danger of doing that, though, is that one can become self-obsessed.

Poets really ought to have empathy / sympathy for fellow humans. One of the core themes of poetry is the nature of human condition. So we can’t always be banging on about self, self, self. We should live and write in solidarity with others if we are to be of any worth.

Anyway, enough about me…

Let’s talk about YOU!

In response to your question...
hmmm... probablement!

Love your pic Steve - very cool ; )

For just one moment Steve, I thought you were going to say, 'that's enough about me...what do you think about me?'

I believe that if you're vain and egotisical, then these 'attributes', if I can call them that, are with you no matter how you choose to express yourself or whatever you involve yourself with. Some people express or have a more sincere empathy or awareness than others, while some have a unique gift for faking sincerity, if that isn't a misnomer?

The thing is, if anybody wants to increase their personal profile fuelled by their own particular motives, then why not?
If we don't expose ourselves ( in a legal sense ) in the first instance, then who's likely to do it for us?

Am I vain and egotisical? You better believe it - I'm also an insecure and shy person who resorts to the occasional drink to fuel my vanity and egowotsit.

Anyway, must fly, I'm off to Manchester to listen to a self-indulgent vocalist playing songs that are written by - himself.

Dazza, You're right. I WAS gonna write 'that's enough about me...let's talk about YOU. What do you think about ME?'. In fact I did write that but then rubbed it out.
It's an old joke, one of my favourites, but the trouble is I thought people might take it too literally.
Any road, I think YOU are brilliant. Never be shy in stepping up to the mark, mate. And keep your feet on the road to Wigan Pier.
- Francine, Chucky Egg, it's nice of you to say I look cool in the picture. The honest truth is it was taken in a rather dodgy bar, where I'd just arrived to hook up with my mates -- after an absence of half an hour when I'd been down on both my knees in a nearby church for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Steve... Who is Chucky Egg???

You are! Sorry, I have a habit of calling people Chucky Egg, espcially female women critters. It's not as bad as my old grandad. He used to call his missus 'Lad'.

Francine, Hen, I think the word Chucky is an alliterative term which refers to the noise which a hen makes, 'clucking' ? Chucky Egg is a term of endearment, commonly used with children, but I don't know if that has any connection with the Geordie and Scots (friendly) word which women use to adress each other, Hen.

I have never heard that term before Steve...
Thank you Steve and Bill for clarifying...

'Chucky'? That's the psycho doll/puppet of numerous horror films. Egg is a mispelling of the EEG you need at A&E after he's knifed you.

Lovely... I rather prefer the term of endearment... ; )

Yeah, and we all have our Chucky moments ... particulalry when riled by spiteful office politics. And anyhow, poets have a tendency towards emotional vulcanicity. Personally, just like Bonnie Tyler, I feel I am "living in powder key, giving off sparks".

Uh Steve... I think it's keg... ; )

I've really enjoyed following this thread and all the views that have emerged from it. Perhaps the question should have been simply, "Are people vain and egotistical?" I guess we are, all of us. It isn't simply poets who feel and express the desire to comminicate their thoughts and have them assessed and validated by a wider society, nor is it solely artists. We all posess the tools for communication, be it written/spoken language, music, art, politics etc. There seems to be an inherent need to know what other people think of our thoughts and expressions - without it society would fairly soon collapse. As humans it would be pointless to try to exist in a vacuum where the only world view was our own. Expression pushes culture forward continually, tests taste, acceptability and the boundaries of cultural norms. Does this make us vain - or just simply curious to know what other people think of our thoughts and how they react to them?
I would hope that I am able to tolerate a little vanity, both in myself and in others, in preference to a world where freedom of speech is shackled by either the totalitarian unity of thought, or the gag of political correctness. If we all were to bite our tongues just think what we might have missed out on.
A.E.

Anthony,
I do agree with "expression pushes culture forward continually, tests taste, acceptability and the boundaries of cultural norms" .

The trouble is (and this is not a democratic point) the internet gives a platform for people to peddle ill-considered rubbish if they wish to (and plenty do). Much of the increased expression is powered by nothing more substantial than ego liberally sprinkled with ignorance - and that ain't necessarily a good thing.

Francine,
You're right, of course it shudda been a 'g'. I've done that song so many times in karaoke I know the words off by heart, and then I go and spoil it all by making a stupid typo...

Are poets more vain and egotistical than most people?

Yes. Except for me. I'm perfect.

Poets are the only people whose egos continue to flourish after their death.

Hi Steve et al,
In response to your very valid point:

"The trouble is (and this is not a democratic point) the internet gives a platform for people to peddle ill-considered rubbish if they wish to (and plenty do). Much of the increased expression is powered by nothing more substantial than ego liberally sprinkled with ignorance - and that ain't necessarily a good thing."

Yes, the internet is an open forum for rubbish and all kinds of misguided and ill-informed views. But then again what isn't - newspapers, radio talk shows, pamphleteers, campaigning and (especially at present) economically powerful lobby groups which represent commercial minority interests. Even that revered bastion of democratic free-speech Speaker's Corner has seen its fair share of cranks, weirdos and know nowts. I don't have any real answers to the problem, but whatever the answer is I'm fairly sure that it won't be found in wholesale censorship.
I guess, (and it might not be a popular stance these days, given our shining elected examples) that I'm a believer in democracy, free speech and reasoned, intelligent debate. However, having said this, I realise that the kind of democracy I would like to see hinges on a fully-informed, participating electorate to de-bunk those extremist and self-interested theories and ideas expounded through all types of media. The responsibility for this must largely lie in education - and I'm not restricting that to our school system.
So, there we are, my point has come full-circle and I'm beginning to spout all kinds of bollox. (Put that shepherd's crook thingy round my neck and get me off the stage - do they have them at the open mike nights?) I really ought to think about censoring myself! Thank you and goodnight.
A.E.

I think the process of writing poetry is one of focussing on whats going on in your head and that makes us more aware of our feelings and reactions than people who dont do this. Some poetry may sound like a therapy session because if theres emotional stuff rolling around in there its likely to come out some time. Once its out maybe the next poems will be more externally focussed?
well its after midnight and I should go to bed. I have just put my Haiku on the blog.
But I felt like communicating. Maybe I should write a poem. writing a response to a discussion is just as demanding.
I wonder why the faces to choose from only include one grey head and its female. More choice of faces, I say! The grey haired lady looks too much like me!
Freda

Vulcanicity. I love that word!
Living in a powder keg and givin' off sparks makes me feel like a Roman candle. A shower of colourful rain with the occasional burst of egotistical balls erupting from a vanity case full of hot air.
Hey you!! Look at me!
Hmm, can women have balls?

(and moxys 'poets live on after death theme is great and so accurate.)

Well women can be strong and confident and say what they see, not what they are supposed to see. Who cares about the anatomical detail?
Freda

Hmmm. I think it is great to see poetry posted as blogs in the way it is on this site, but to take up Anthony Emmerson's point, I feel that elswhere the web is full to brimming with garbage of the sort that encourages stupidity.

Also, so much of web content is left to go out of date. Websites are often and widely used as dumping grounds for reams of prolix crap.

Newspapers, though apparently dying, are so much better in terms of editorial content than most websiites. Newspapers are: fact-checked; elegantly and economically written (in the main); they are a portable and permanent record; and there are no pop-ups. No contest!

And, yes, it is great that poets' egos live on after death. Who better than poets to have an option on posterity - when so much of mainstream contemporary culture ignores the often prophetic voice of our poets?

In answer to the question I would like to answer: Yes. Poets are also more likely to suffer from mental illness...make of that what you will but are not quite so prone to madness as jazz musicians and arguably people who've spent time in a war zone....blah blah blah something about Spike Milligan.

The true measure of a particular demographic's vanity is the intensity/vehemence and constancy with which they are targeted by the ruthless cosmetic and fashion industries. I have yet to see make up, personal grooming and fashion ranges aimed specifically at poets.

This suggests that poets are no more extreme in their self-absorption than any other group.

I suppose we could always produce a WOL range and see if it ends up in the Poetry Society's new fashion magazine and life style suppliment.

And cars? That terrible blight that just says 'ego ego ego.'
Cars for poets that speak to the world about their lingusitic prowess, perhaps? The exhaust could be fitted with one of those reverberating membranes that mimic human sounds so that when the engine's running at its optimum the driver's poems can be shot out of the vehicle's rear end, gear changes adding to the intesnity of its delivery. And then there's the horn...

Cars for poets? I prefer to be vain and egotistical through my poetry; some people who drive cars are responsible for 3.5 thousand deaths on Britain's roads annually.

I don't think my poetry has killed anybody yet, in fact it might have saved a few lives if a government minister has read any of it !

Ah, but Bill, how many lives do vehicles-- in the form of ambulances -- save every year? A poet's vehicle could be a life saver: the 'show' part balancing the 'say' of poems.

And, to pervert a quote, cars don't kill people, people do.

And poems can kill: did you not hear about the greetings cards shootings in America about ten years back? There was a spate of random homicides apparently incited by greeting card verses -- the cards were withdrawn from the shops, the company was charged with corporate homicide, but you can still occasionally acquire these 'killing verse cards' from online auctions.

I give in Moxy you're right; but cards don't kill people, people do. I'm off to the pub now to kill a few brain cells, apparently I've got too many , It's bloody murder being a poet !

Exactly! It's all down to free will.

But words can incite and cars can't: so they're more dangerous. Lingusitic imput actually alters the brain (you can have your mind changed by words) and so it can, and does lead directly to action. So words can kill. Think of Mein Kampf. It is the only book I know to have a warning on the back cover of its modern imprint: 'This book is evil.'