Salach has published the poetry book, “Looking for a Soft Place to Land” (Tia Chucha), is a host on WTTW’s “ArtBeat” and performs with her band “ten tongues.”
Can a poet make a living these days? Yes. It’s probably not the same living as an ad executive has, but I piece things together. I probably make about half a living.
How do most poets make ends meet? It’s a lot of teaching and grants and readings. You don’t really make money on poetry books until you’re dead.
Do you have a day job? At the beginning of my career I worked in advertising. Later I went freelance to devote more time to my performance and writing, and now I’ve stopped doing that . . . [and] started teaching.
What do you say on your tax forms under profession? “Poet.” You get some great write-offs.
Like what? Movies. Or retreats and vacations. Everywhere I go, I take my laptop and it’s a potential experience for writing. The things I can’t figure out how to write off are parking tickets and therapy, but I think you need therapy to be a poet.
What do you think about Ruth Lilly’s $100 million pledge to Poetry magazine? It’s kind of a celebration for them, and it’s nice to see this happen after their struggling for so long. I wish it were spread out more and went to the poets and for more programs.
Do Midwestern poets have a particular “voice” compared to those elsewhere? I think so. The slams started here. New York will claim it, but it started in the Green Mill . . . I think there’s a very worker, Carl Sandburg, liberal, democratic, “City of Big Shoulders” [voice]–it’s a working poetry and not abstract.
