I've been thinking about politics overriding artistic merit and thinking that tastes is simply individualistic, yet I am constantly pulled into believing there is good art and bad art, not low and high, but good and bad. Are my ideas about what is good simply a result of my education? No, I often disagreed with professors. Poetry is a complex thing, and history reveals the oppression of various voices, yet I am writing an essay for ABR re: when politics overtakes craft, sort of a case study on contemporary Latino/a poetry or more specifically Mexican-American poetry. I'm asked to report on what is "good" in Chicana/Mexican-American Poetry. And what is poetry or Chicana poetry? Books published by Chicanas, online ranting, what's anthologized?

In any case, I will write this essay because I promised to write it. I'm grappling with it now, but yes, I believe there is "good" work and bad work and I can't get around that I think this despite believing in inclusion. I just wish "good" work was noted.

And then again maybe my idea of what is good is off, but I think some poems are simply bland, simply political, simply journalistic reporting rooted most often in political rage.