The Problem With Dialect Poetry 1

Abstract

In this chapter I explore the place of “dialect poetry” in contemporary poetry. I argue that, while much contemporary poetry engages creatively with regional and social language varieties, there is often stigma attached to the idea of publishing a “dialect poem.” To investigate this, I first consider the word “dialect” itself, arguing that in contemporary usage it is an inherently unstable term, both concealing and expressing complex hierarchies of language and identity. I then explore how traditions and practices of dialect poetry play into the ways in which two contemporary organizations position themselves in relation to language variation: the Yorkshire Dialect Society and The Poetry Business. While the first of these embraces the writing and publication of “dialect poetry” as a core part of its remit, the second maintains a careful distance from the concept of “dialect poetry” and prefers to talk about poetry written in “the demotic voice.”