'Tis Pity She's A Bore

      "Would you like to attend a poetry reading?" I'm sure just the flip invocation of that question sent chills down most of your spines-- and for understandable reasons.  The fact is, many, many, many poets are horrible readers of their own works, and to watch and/or to listen to their readings can be exercise in masochism.  I've been, I can honestly say, to more bad poetry readings than I've been to good ones, and I suspect that even some of the "good" ones simply seemed better because one comes to assess such things on a sliding scale. (Al Purdy, just months before his death, and P.K. Page were notable exceptions, and RK and my colleague-in-drunkenness Mr Crawford can both do a fine poetic peal when the spirit takes them.)   I have to say, then, that I disagree with the conclusion of this article, that even the worst poet reads his/her poetry better than an actor.  If you want proof of this, just go to your local bistro where I'm sure there will be a Poetry Night during which pretentious beatniks likely make poetry seem the most intolerable art form ever invented.  At least the actor can claim ignorance, misunderstanding, difficulty.  The poet can't.  That's what makes a bad reading all the more embarrassing-- and all the more painful.  In the end, there's nothing to blame but the poet, either as reader or as writer or as both.  And in the pity lies the rub.