Being a writer myself, maybe it’s just me, but I was never that impressed with her work.
She was black and chronically indignant about that, that is all it takes to gain fame anymore.
Yes indeed. Writing at this level isn’t about concrete imagery, conflicts, theses, painting new pictures, or challenging the status quo:
Poetry at this level is about affirming the righteousness of the government elite.
Pushkin... Mayakovsky... Whitman even, of whom I was never fond... Certainly Plath, Stevens, some new poets like Austin LaGrone, Richard Meier, Nicky Beer... The real “radicals” in verse, these are the thoughtful people whose analysis might be worthwhile. Alas I’m not a poet but I’m pretty sure that those who insult the “made men,” like Angelou, get whacked.
I’m not a writer and I always thought her “poetry “ was truly awful prose. She ‘s just another “success “ of affirmative action.