Actually, there’s no reason today’s kids shouldn’t be today’s poetry readers. And writers. I believe the absence of relevance to their lives makes it difficult for kids – and most people, actually – to relate to much of what gets called poetry. I don’t think the issue is “Literary” poetry so much as it is the ages of preeminent (most likely to be treated as “serious artists”) poets – their culture references, which they do make in their poems, are just not the same as those of the 18-35 crowd.

But the overall point for poets is this: Be true to yourself and write about the things that are important to you, whether that’s gardening or baseball, sunshine or Spongebob, war or pie, Wonder Woman or Gravel Gertie. Be aware of the things people will connect with in your writing. With a little luck and a lot of craft, you can make these things the same.

Or to summarize: You’re right.