Local Gems Press
  • Home
  • Publishing
    • FAQs >
      • General Submission Guidelines
    • NoVa Bards
    • New Jersey Bards Poetry Review >
      • New Jersey Bards Preorders
    • Land's End Anthology
    • Pennsylvania Bards
    • Virginia Bards Central Virginia >
      • Virginia Bards Central Poetry Review Preorders
    • Connecticut Bards >
      • Connecticut Bards 2022 Preorders
    • Delaware Bards
    • Maryland Bards
    • Twin Decades Anthology
    • Rhode Island Bards >
      • Rhode Island Bards Preorders
  • Poet's Academy
    • Writing in an eBook World
    • Selling Your Poetry Book Course
    • Putting Together A Poetry Book
    • Publishing Your Poetry Free Seminar
    • Submitting Your Book To A Publisher
    • Self-Publishing Your Book
    • Publishing VS Self-Publishing Virtual Seminar
    • Publishing Bundles Order Page
    • Selling Your Poetry Book Virtually
    • Japanese Poetry History and Forms
    • Planning a Poetry Book Tour
    • Four Seminar Bundle
    • Poetry Book Master Course
    • Hosting a Poetry Reading
  • Publishing Coaching
  • Bulk Orders
  • NaPoWriMo Contest
  • Blog
    • Ishwa's Poetry Blog
    • Nick Hale's Poetry Blog
  • NoVA Bards 2022
  • Free Poetry Prompts
  • Buzzin Bards Poetry Anthology
  • Pennsylvania Bards West
  • Florida Bards Gulf Coast Poets
  • Phoenix Poetry Chapbook Challenge
  • Poetic Memoir Chapbook Challenge
  • 49 Haiku Challenge 2022
  • Poetry Forms Chapbook Challenge
  • A Wreath of Golden Laurels Bulk
    • A Wreath of Golden Laurels Launch Bundle
  • Alba Bards Poetry Anthology
  • Disposable Anthology
  • Ohio Bards Poetry Anthology
  • Gathering Poetry Anthology
  • Winter Poetry Chapbook Challenge

Benjamin Franklin: Almost A Poet?

5/22/2013

1 Comment

 
Did you know that the first thing Ben Franklin ever published were two poems?  Back when he was a very young apprentice to his older brother in the printing business he wanted to test out his writing skills. He brought up the idea of writing poetry to his older brother who didn't object because poems at the time could be sold on the streets for profit. At that time printers were always looking for ways to make more money and publishing original works of writing was one of them. Ben wanted to do this to give himself a little bit of extra pocket money since he didn't make any money formally as an apprentice and only managed to have any pocket money at all by making his own food rather than buying meals at the boarding house nearby with the money his brother provided for him. 

One of the poems that Franklin wrote was about Blackbeard the pirate and the other was about a recent event that happened around town. Although both of the poems made a positive stir in the area and those who read them were entertained, when Ben's father Josiah got wind of this, he was not fond of the idea of Ben being a poet. “There is no money in it!” he said (ironic that even back then parents were telling their children not to be poets for financial reasons!) So Ben turned his attention to more profitable ventures...like essays and papers on interesting subjects for the local papers of the time. 

Although Franklin did not give up his love for poetry altogether. For several years later when his fortunes were more secure and he was his own boss, he would often publish poems from local poets in his well known publication “Poor Richard's Almanack.”

Picture
A young Ben Franklin selling poetry on the street.
Picture
1 Comment

    Enjoy These 2 FREE Gifts

    Poetry Prompt Journal
    30 Days of Poetry Prompts

    Picture
    The Poetry Chapbook Organizing Your First Book Of Poetry
    Picture

      Enter Email To Claim Both Free Books!

    Submit
    Picture

    Author

    The Official Blog Of Local Gems Poetry Press.
    Check back here for exciting tips from publishers, poetic news, interviews, prompts, tools for authors and more!

    Archives

    April 2021
    April 2020
    January 2020
    April 2019
    September 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    March 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    January 2016
    April 2015
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All
    Anthology
    Art
    Local Gems Poem Of The Week
    NaPoWriMo
    Photography
    Poem
    Poetic Activism
    Poetic Power
    Poetry
    Prompt
    Retail Woes
    Songs Of Sandy

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2010-2016 by Local Gems Poetry Press