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In relation to my earlier post: Of course times have changed. WiFi and television are ever-present distractions. But the point Brodsky's making is this: let's push to make poetry an essential part of American lives, as essential as the Bible and the telephone book. It's not a call for blind reverence. On the contrary, it's about raising a new generation on poetry, much like children grow up listening to punk, gospel, rock, etc.
I disagree with those who say that poetry is useless (few of you have mentioned this in this thread). Claiming that is especially dubious while lamenting the decline in readership: isn't it the conflation of (i) art and commerce and (ii) art and utility that we're addressing in this thread--inadvertently or otherwise.
Poetry, to draw from Brodsky again, is the highest form of human locution. It may be difficult, but that doesn't make it useless. Sure, there's bad poetry out there, but that doesn't reduce the qualities of good/great poetry.
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