It seems that Tom Disch doesn't want others to read my response to his recent post regarding Albert Goldbarth and SF poetry (he deleted it). For those who are interested, here's his original post:

Albert Goldbarth
Every so often I am reminded of what ticks me off about the SF poetry assoc. and it's awards system. That is is so totally ingrown and parochial. I don't think any of them have ever read Shakespeare and Milton, much less a contemporary poet outside their enchanted circle. I once was at one of their consistories and asked who'd read Albert Goldbarth. No one. And he's surely never been nominated for one of their prizes, although no other nationally acclaimed poet has written more work that should appeal to an SF audience. Even his book jacket proclaim Sci Fi spoken here, such as the the Schoenherr painting graciong his latest New and Selected from Graywold Press, The Kitchen Sink. I speak as one on his comp list and so owes thanks, but I'm on many comp lists, and only of Goldbarth could I say this: He is my favorite living poet, the one whose books I read like a newspaper. No poet better knows how to weave a neat story from the straw of daily life and the shared anxiety, guilt, and hilarity of a civilization; no one so well marvels at the glory and weirdness of existence. He wins prizes all the time. He seems to be a great guy, even tho he earns his living teaching at a university, which is a count against anyone. Present company excepted, sans dire. So if you are at a loss when someone asks you and who is your favorite poet these days, Professor Grindle? start reading Goldbarth and you will have an answer ready. This has been a public service announcement.

And here's my response:

No doubt the world needs "fearless honesty," Tom...but it's hard to respond to "honesty" that relies on significantly inaccurate information to criticize others. Over the course of the past 69 years, there have been a number of SF/F/H poetry organizations that have given awards to recognize authors of fantastic verse who appeal to the widest range of readers. Each of these organizations has had its flaws; this is certainly true of the SFPA--though no other of these associations has managed to thrive for 30 years. From a certain point of view, one of the "flaws" of the Rhysling is that it's a popularity contest, and not necessarily a process meant to put a spotlight on the best SF/F poems...though, from another point of view, isn't the favorite poem of 100 avid readers and writers of SF/F poetry the "best" poem?
 
More to the point, though: most members of the SFPA with whom I converse know of Albert Goldbarth's work, and many seem to agree that even if they don't find his work personally appealing they appreciate its quality (in other words, though Goldbarth may be exceptional at "weaving a neat story," not everyone agrees that a "neat story" is what defines a superior SF/F poem). For the record, Goldbarth has been nominated for the Rhylsing at least 5 times: 1982, 1988, 1995, 2001, and 2006. That he hasn't won does not mean that the voters haven't liked his work; it just means that there were other poems (remember, the Rhylsing recognizes the best poem, not poet) that they liked better. In 1982, Goldbarth lost out to Le Guin. In 1995 he was competing against Haldeman, Yolen, Ford and, yes, you Tom. In 2006, he placed fourth; Haldeman's "The Old Twentieth" was one of the poems that placed ahead of his poem "Cock." Haldeman received a standing ovation from an audience of more than a hundred when he read this poem aloud at ReaderCon--and I saw more than a few teary eyes at that moment. My personal opinion in the 2006 long poem Rhyslings is that two of the three poems that placed above "Cock" were clearly more deserving of a Rhysling; while I, personally, would argue that Haldeman is every bit as good a poet as Goldbarth, it's worth remembering, though, that just because Goldbarth's poem placed fourth doesn't mean that many SFPA members don't still view him as the better overall speculative poet.
 
The notion that the SFPA is "parochial" is, unfortunately, somewhat true...but your comment, Tom, is grosely untrue (but then again I know you know that...since when we talked at ReaderCon you knew that I was an English professor and an SFPA member). If there's any doubt, though, there are at least three things that would prove the absurdity of your phrasing: the number of SFPA members who have backgrounds in literature and who teach literature; the SFPA listserv archives (which would reveal not only conversations about Shakespeare [and maybe Milton?], but also about countless other canonical and contemporary poets); and the wide range of publications by SFPA members in non-SF/F texts.
 
Finally, personally, I'd argue that Diane Ackerman is the nationally acclaimed poet who has written the most work that should appeal to an SF audience (and though she's been nominated for a Rhylsing multiple times, she has yet to win as well). But this is exactly the kind of things that we should be "fearlessly honest" about--because it's something that's genuinely worth debating....not that Goldbarth has never been nominated for a Rhylsing or that SFPA members have never read Milton or Shakespeare, because these statements are anything but honest.