You could certainly get the impression that poetry is dying, or doesn't "sell well," if you live in a region with bookstores that hide poetry. For example, I've been to bookstores in the American South that only seem to sell best-selling novels, cookbooks, and local histories. That's surely a consequence of the profit-motivated impulse you mention, coupled with a cynical view of what people would want to buy. But you can't generalize that to all bookstores, or all cities.
Here in New York City, for example, it's abundantly clear that poetry is thriving. Not only are there huge, prominent sections for poetry books in our bookstores, along with sections for poetry anthologies and poetry journals, but we also have at least one bookstore which only sells poetry, and one library, as well. There are poetry readings that happen every day, and at least two bars and clubs devoted exclusively to hosting them, with several others that primarily host them. The poetry book fairs that happen once or twice a year showcase hundreds of newly published books. Lots of other places are like this. I can think of poetry-only bookstores in Boston and Seattle, for instance. And City Lights bookstore in San Francisco has a whole floor dedicated to poetry.
Of course, poetry books are not going to sell as well as J.K. Rowling novels. But in terms of the "health of the medium" and the "impact on culture," it's never been better. If you don't see that, it's likely because you live in a place that's at a remove, culturally or geographically, from a cultural center like New York, or from a place with research universities. So who is "insular" and "out of touch," exactly?
Here in New York City, for example, it's abundantly clear that poetry is thriving. Not only are there huge, prominent sections for poetry books in our bookstores, along with sections for poetry anthologies and poetry journals, but we also have at least one bookstore which only sells poetry, and one library, as well. There are poetry readings that happen every day, and at least two bars and clubs devoted exclusively to hosting them, with several others that primarily host them. The poetry book fairs that happen once or twice a year showcase hundreds of newly published books. Lots of other places are like this. I can think of poetry-only bookstores in Boston and Seattle, for instance. And City Lights bookstore in San Francisco has a whole floor dedicated to poetry.
Of course, poetry books are not going to sell as well as J.K. Rowling novels. But in terms of the "health of the medium" and the "impact on culture," it's never been better. If you don't see that, it's likely because you live in a place that's at a remove, culturally or geographically, from a cultural center like New York, or from a place with research universities. So who is "insular" and "out of touch," exactly?