Todd Boss: A Generous New Voice in American Poetry

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Anxiety around the passage of time also runs through the poems.  Many of them seem concerned with a mindfulness that humans have abandoned in modern life.

Boss seems to be making the most of his time.  His many current projects include collaborations with photographers around images of his grandfather's farm, various poetry commissions, and collaborations with animators.  All exhibit Boss’ firm belief in contributing to the broader artistic dialogue. 

"I think I’m motivated by my driving envy of other art forms," he laughs. "Poetry has been behind the eight ball in so many ways.  We’ve been operating in a pre-World War II mindset in terms of how our work is made and shared.  I’m envious of the ease by which music is distributed, the ease by which it’s consumed, and the viral nature of its fan base." 

Consequently, Boss has recorded a number of his poems as audio files for sharing.  He also firmly believes in the art of self-promotion.  At the conference of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP), he took part in a panel titled "Shameless Promotion: Get Your Book to the Reader."   

"A study was done of highly intelligent, creative people, revealing that they’re suspicious of marketing themselves," he says, "because it might suggest they’re not geniuses.  It might mean they’re not good enough. There’s nothing shameful about self-promotion. You’ve been given a gift, and it’s your responsibility to share it."

To that end, he and his fellow panelists have put together a blog called Squad 365 that addresses self-marketing for writers.

But in spite of his many creative and promotional projects, for Boss the poem remains central.

"A poem creates a kind of private holy grotto or grove or cathedral or public square," he explains, "in which the ear of God seems opened and solicited, even for readers who may not believe in God.  Poems are letters to the infinite, complaints to the cosmos, psalms of confusion and adoration."

Through his work, Boss welcomes into this holy space anyone willing to enter.        

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