Ten Reasons Why I Refuse To Be Poet Laureate of These United States
Gary Corseri: I don’t want to hobnob with the Secretaries of State and Defense and pretend I like the Kiplingesque poems they like.
- Nobody asked me…
- Lawrence Ferlinghetti should get a lifetime appointment (and then some!).
- I don’t want to hobnob with the Secretaries of State and Defense and pretend I like the Kiplingesque poems they like. I don’t want to talk about the objective correlative with the President and Vice President, nor explain oxymorons to smart-bombing generals who only know how to kill, kill, kill and lose war after war after war! (Note: “Poet Laureate” Robert Pinsky—who appoints these guys?—used to brag about his friendship with Secretary of Defense William Cohen—they would share poems! This was during the 78-day US-NATO bombing campaign against Serbia and during the medical-supplies sanctions on Iraq that resulted in the deaths of 500,000 children. Neither of these Empire-approved “poets” deigned to comment on that illegal war, nor other US/NATO atrocities.)
- I’d have to go on PBS and read Christmas poems!
- I couldn’t say “fart” in public!
- The shortest distance between 2 points is a haiku. American poets are too busy with #3 above to spend any time on haiku (or direct, focused, non-self-promotional thinking)!
- It would take the edge off. An artist ain’t crap without an edge.
- The enemy of the best is the second best. This would be second best. Vox populi, vox Dei is best.
- Who ever heard of Robert Southey?
- Kenneth Patchen wrote: “It is the duty of the artist to consort forever with the runaway.”
Gary Corseri
