Documentary Poetry

http://www.bostonreview.net/blog/smith-drone-poetics

This poet is on faculty at Ashland University and I plan to request her as my mentor for spring semester. She lectured during summer residency on documentary poetry and the above link presents an article she published on that topic. What is the responsibility of poetry to tackle social problems/issues? What is the best format for literature to grapple with accurate history? I see documentary poetry as a means of engaging an audience that stretches beyond those who read poetry as art for art’s sake. Documentary Poetry is also a way to transport the poet from the exclusively confessional as far as subject matter.