Fort Wayne poet in controversy over use of pen name (with UPDATE)

Meet Yi-Fen Chou, aka Michael Derrick Hudson

Below is a link to a story about Fort Wayne poet Michael Derrick Hudson, a white man who used a Chinese pseudonym because he thought it would help him be selected for publication. The scheme worked so well, that his poem was included in the annual Best American Poetry anthology. I 90% join the condemnation of this man, but there's 10% of me that understands his reason for doing so.

He says editors kept rejecting his poems, but when he changed his name to that of an ethnic group, his acceptance rate improved. This says several things things to me. One, editors DO notice names. Two, does this suggest that editors are willing to accept poems from minorities that they normally would not have accepted from Caucasians? Three, does the quality of a poem matter more than the poet?

Until poems can be judge blindly (that is, without identifications attached), abuses by submitters and editors will continue.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/yifen-chou-white-author-uses-asian-pen-name-because-it-helps-him-get-published-more-often-10490578.html



UPDATE: It's now reported that Michael Derrick Hudson adopted the name of a high school classmate. The family of Yi-Fen Chou is requesting that Hudson stop using the name. Geesh. He couldn't even invent a fake name.

Winners of the Wabash Watershed Indiana Poetry Awards Contest

From Indiana Poet Laureate George Kalamraas:

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Wabash Watershed Indiana Poetry Awards Contest! This year, we offered prizes in the categories of Indiana History and Social Justice. First Prize winners in each category received an award of $100. Second and third place in each category received $50 each.

The initial screening was done in committee by blind review, which included George Kalamaras. The nationally known poet, Patrick Lawler, of LeMoyne College, served as final judge.

Congratulations to the winners!

Indiana History

First Place: “A Brief History of the Mirror”
Patrick Kindig, Indianapolis
Second Place: “That Summer, a History”
Bonnie Maurer, Indianapolis
Third Place: “Studebaker Wives”
Nancy Botkin, South Bend

Honorable Mention:
“Saint Theodora Guerin of Indiana”
Vienna Wagner, South Bend

Social Justice

First Place: “Slave Cemetery”
Michael Derrick Hudson, Fort Wayne
Second Place: “Missing”
Nancy Botkin, South Bend
Third Place: “Vision Problem”
Tracy Mishkin, Indianapolis

Honorable Mention:
“Illegal”
Jodie English, Indianapolis

To read the poems and bios, click here: http://www.wabashwatershed.com/2015/08/23/julyaugust2015feature/