Where and when were you born?
Philadelphia PA, USA, 1947.
Could you tell us something about your background?
My parents owned and worked in a liquor store in a very small town, Pleasantville, NJ which was six miles from Atlantic City. We lived in a railroad apartment over the store until I was eleven, when we moved to a two-story house in Ventor, NJ, a few houses from the beach.
Were either of your parents or grandparents (or any other relatives) writers? If not, were any of your relatives actively interested in literature?
Neither my parents nor my grandparents were writers, but my older brother was my first introduction to literature. I read books from his shelves when he was away at college.
Are any of your siblings writers or involved in a
creative profession?
No. I have only one brother, who is a real estate attorney. Quite different. But he has always been a great supporter of my poetry.
What was the first poem (or who was the first poet) that turned you on to poetry?
e.e. cummings and T. S. Eliot were the first poets who I loved.
What age were you when you first began writing poetry, and did you receive any encouragement?
Aside from a few childhood poems, I began writing poetry in college. I was fortunate to have two teachers who were encouraging, Sara de Ford and Florence Howe. After graduating, Florence Howe and I co-edited the first major anthology of women's poetry, No More Masks!
When you started writing poetry did you have dreams about becoming a "professional" poet? If so, did anyone advise you against this course of action?
I really never imagined there was any possibility that I could become a poet. It seemed fantastical, like deciding to be a movie star. When I received the acceptance for my first book, I sat down on my bed and decided that everything I'd ever thought true about my life was up for grabs. If this could happen, anything could.
Did you ever get a poem published in your school
magazine?
I had poems published in my college literary magazine. The years were probably about 1967 and 68.
Did you go to university, and if so, which subject(s) did
you study?
I received a BA from Goucher College and an MA in Creative Writing from Boston University. In college, I majored in English because I loved to read. I worked a year between college and graduate school and found that I didn't get much writing done, so I returned to school to see if I could become disciplined about poetry.
When did you first start submitting to poetry magazines? And can you tell us how many rejections you received before having something accepted for publication?
I started submitting my work when I was in my early twenties. I have no idea how many rejections I got, but there were plenty! And there continue to be plenty. Early on I decided the best attitude was to pretend I was my own secretary, with no personal interest in the outcome. I just sent the work out, recorded the rejections and acceptances, and sent it back out again.
What was the worst rejection
you ever received?
I throw out rejections as soon
as I receive them, but I did keep the very worst one which is from 1976. I no
longer remember the name of the magazine, but the return address is Santa Cruz,
so it was local. The editor, who only signed his first name, Joe, rejected a
poem called "If You Want Me." I'll quote: "Thank you for the
submissions. I consider you a good lyric poet. Your 'if you want me' has good lines
(and he quotes some of them). Toward the end, however, the poems sags. (and
here he suggests new lines for the poem which I've always kept because they're
a riot):
if you will lavish me
until my body is a
configuration born
of a star floating in glory in
the heavens
if you are withholding the
devious,
the disloyal from me,
if you haven't made up your
heart
to love me, do not come to me
Then he signs it "Peace
& Love."
What was your first published poem? Which poetry magazine published it? And what year was it published?
I'm not sure what my very first published poem was, but in the early seventies I published in many of the feminist journals, including Women: A Journal of Liberation, Amazon Quarterly, and Chrysalis. I also published in a few journals that are still in existence, such as Ploughshares.
Round about the time that you started seriously writing poetry, who were your literary heroes? And would you say they had an influence on your writing style?
Anne Sexton was a major influence in my writing. I was extremely fortunate to study with her at Boston University. I also greatly admired Sylvia Plath, Denise Levertov, Adrienne Rich and many others. Anne had a great influence on me. Her wild imagery, her boldness, her courage in writing about women's experience, were all extremely inspiring.
When did you put together your first collection of
poetry?
I was in my early twenties when the University of Massachusetts published I'm Not Your Laughing Daughter.
How long did it take to get it accepted for publication? And, if appropriate, how many times was it rejected?
I was very lucky. This was the first place I submitted my ms. and they accepted it immediately.
Is it still in print?
It's still in print, though I don't encourage people to buy it. My craft in that book is quite immature, but it's interesting, perhaps, to see where I began. It would give any poet hope!
Which of your poetry books has been the most successful in terms of sales, and how many copies has it sold to date?
My two most recent poetry books have both been doing very well. 'Mules of Love' was published by BOA Editions in 2002 and has sold over 3,000 copies. My new book, 'The Human Line', has only been out since May and it's already sold as many copies. For poetry, as you know, this is good.
Have you won any awards for your poetry?
Chautaqua Poetry Prize, 2004. Pushcart Prize, 2003. New Letters Poetry
Prize, 2002. Lambda Literary Award In Poetry for Mules of Love, 2002. Fellowship
from the California Arts Council, 2002. Larry Levis Editor's Prize for Poetry
from Missouri Review, 2001. Greensboro Award in Poetry, 2002. Nimrod/Hardman
Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry, 2000. Elliston Book Award for Poetry from the
University of Cincinnati, 1980.
Do you make a living out of poetry?
I make my living from both poetry and teaching poetry and creative writing.
With the benefit of hindsight, are you glad that you pursued your dream of being a poet? Also, if you could turn the clock back, would you do anything different?
Oh God yes. Of course. It's a great privilege to be a poet and to have work that is so deeply fulfilling. I feel fortunate beyond measure.
If a young would-be poet approached you, which poets would you recommend as vital reading?
Some of the contemporary poets whose work I most admire are Sharon Olds, Billy Collins, Dorianne Laux, Marie Howe, Galway Kinnell, Philip Levine, Mark Doty. But there are so many more. It would be easy to spend all your time reading the essential poets.
If so, what further advice would you give him or her?
Be brave. Write what you want to write. Don't think too much about success and recognition in terms of external acknowledgement. Just work and study and work to make the best poems you can make.
Finally (and extremely hypothetically), you are selected to appear on the hit reality TV show, "Desert Island Poets", where you are marooned on a tropical island for three months with a typewriter and several reams of paper. You are provided with all necessary provisions, but you are only allowed to take three books with you. Your appearance fee is more than you could hope to earn in a decade and the show is so popular that all previous participants have become best-selling poets. So, would you participate? And if so, which three books would you take with you?
Sure. After all, writing poetry is not a very sensational thing to allow people to watch me doing! I sit and look at the paper, making little marks on it and crossing some of them out.
See:
Ellen Bass' website
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