As Wanjiku Reynolds sees it, poetry is the "illegitimate child of literature."
That means poets have a tougher time getting recognized and published.
But Reynolds and 175 other poets, essayists and short-story writers have seen their work make it into print, thanks to the Blind Beggar Press, the borough's oldest and largest publishing firm owned by people of color.
"When you don't share your work, you tend to not take it too seriously," said Carmen Lucca, a poet who first published with the Blind Beggar Press in 1982. "When other people marvel at it, you take note."
Lucca has since published two books on her own.
C. D. Grant and Gary Johnston founded the nonprofit company in 1977 after they saw the need for an outlet for black and Latino writers.
The group, which received $11,000 in grants and donations this year, is expanding into television with "The Writer's Network," a half-hour show on which New York writers will discuss their works. The show is scheduled to air Fridays at 6:30 p.m. on Bronxnet, cable channel 70, throughout April. More shows will be produced if the first five prove successful.
A primary goal of Blind Beggar is to publish quality writers and disseminate their work -- especially, Grant said, to people who normally wouldn't read poetry.
Besides publishing books, Blind Beggar has sponsored poetry readings in bars, restaurants, schools and on the streets.
Grant recalled one impromptu reading.
"I was sitting in a bar where I knew many of the people, and I started reading from one of my books," he said. "I got a standing ovation after a half hour and sold 20 books! When someone hears a reading -- after hearing the emotion -- they want to find that themselves in the book."
Blind Beggar's founders are "always ready, willing and able to help out," Reynolds said. Other places "won't accept your work unless you're well known."
The group's volunteers hope to draw out unpublished writers through encouragement. Reynolds shared her writing only with her family until she met Johnston at a party celebrating a new Blind Beggar publication.
"I gave some samples to Gary," she said, "and he surprisingly found them written well enough to publish. It is important to give support to emerging writers."
"Do poets make any money?" said Grant, waxing poetic. "Well, the answer is no. But you do get a lot of self-gratification."
Just ask Reynolds, Lucca and the other writers published by Blind Beggar Press.