tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641117771707843067.post7030412509985595102..comments2024-02-05T15:01:44.563-05:00Comments on Cleveland Poetics: a place for cleveland's writers and readers: The Role of Poet Laureatesmichael salingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14717310933948991992noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641117771707843067.post-33893352479227218712011-04-05T18:50:51.883-04:002011-04-05T18:50:51.883-04:00In my two years as poet laureate in Huron, I never...In my two years as poet laureate in Huron, I never felt that I was an advocate for any part of the government. Rather, I was a voice within the community which could hold up the life of the people. During my tenure, we went through a bicentennial celebration and I wrote poems about our town. Sure, the cynical might say I was being a dupe of the chamber of commerce. I believe that I was helping to give the community a moment of thoughtful reflection on time and place. I am proud of what I wrote, and I hope that it would encourage wider expression of what is real in the life of ordinary people like me.<br /><br />For what it's worth, there was no pay (surprise!), but that has never been why I write. It is, however, a public recognition by a city council that words matter. That has always been my belief as a writer.Robhttp://smithwrite.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641117771707843067.post-80332619816527517262011-04-05T13:11:26.922-04:002011-04-05T13:11:26.922-04:00This seems like a silly idea, that poets laureate ...This seems like a silly idea, that poets laureate must live in a particular place and write poems about particular things or in a particular way -- it makes it seem as if the government is buying the poet, and that the poet is selling out to the government, instead of that long excellence is being rewarded with a sinecure for some length of time. And stop calling me "Shirley".Marcushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07391731816184313020noreply@blogger.com