Bernard Chasan:

>> Good advice.  On occasion I have advocated that the classical music
>> community (listener's included) do what it can to spread the word about
>> classical music.  The poets have done much more in the way of organized
>> outreach than the musicians and composers.

Steve Schwartz replies:

>Anybody making a living off of poetry?

Well, poets who teach (there are several distinguished ones at B.U.) make
a decent academic salary.  I suspect that for the more prominent poets
royalties are not negligible nor are lectures and readings.  But I am
missing the point here, I believe.  Steve's comment, I assume, is meant to
refute my statement that the poets are active and successful in outreach.
In fact I don't know how successful they have been, but I don't believe
that poets' income is particularly relevant at this juncture.  However I
must admit that poetry is low maintenance compared to classical music.
Performance in poetry involves one person reading to an audience- no
orchestra, no opera, no administrators.

Bernard Chasan