The Observation Deck

City Council Seeks Poet Laureate Nominations

City Council is seeking nominations for the position of Lakewood Poet Laureate. The person selected shall seek to advance awareness of and appreciation for literary arts and humanities within the Lakewood community. As both a local resident and a distinguished poet, the Poet Laureate shall represent and celebrate the diversity and history of Lakewood. As a spokesperson for the City’s literary community, the Poet Laureate shall endeavor to promote the artistic achievements of the City and shall actively participate in ceremonial, educational and cultural activities in the community at various times throughout his or her term of service.

Persons interested can nominate themselves or others. Current and past poet laureates are of course eligible for reappointment.

Please submit the name and contact information of your nominee to the City Council Office; 12650 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio, by February 28, 2013.

By the time you're all swore in
Breathless and sighing
And you vow with devlish grin
that your honesty is undying
Voter take note that
someone is lying.

With apologies to Dorothy Parker

Not sure whether the following rises to laureate status, having written many songs and poetry over the years, but here's one that I wrote for Lakewood's first Centennial Celebration in 1989:

Lakewood, Ohio is our Home
original 1989, since modified Gary R.Rice
all rights reserved (but y'all can hum it )

1)
Golden diamonds on the lake, caught by the morning sun.
Underground caves, on the cliff, where Freedom's song was sung.
By the clear cool valley, Rocky River's silver foam.
LAKEWOOD, OHIO is our home!

2)
Kirtland Warblers, Templar cars, and Polo fields in June.
A hundred ways to worship God, or sing your favorite tune.
We will sing this song, wherever we might roam.
LAKEWOOD, OHIO, is our home!

Refrain

Come with us, to our home town!
It's LAKEWOOD, OHIO! Well, come on down!
Join with us with our song and cheer.
As we begin another hundred years!

3)
We began our story back in 1889.
One hundred years together, and we're really doin' fine!
Crusin' Detroit's old plank road, through streets and parks we'll roam,
Lakewood, Ohio, is our home!

(to ref)

And then there was this little ditty...Remember when we had a thread here on the 'Deck that ran up to maybe thousands of hits because there was a running water urinal in the men's room of the Lakewood Women's Pavilion? Seems as if it ran for months and months AND MONTHS before a plumber finally came and fixed it....

Ode to a Urinal
(To melody: Battle Hymn of the Republic)

Mine eyes have seen the splatter, and
the dampness on the ground.
Mine ears have heard the rush of
mighty waters falling down.
My shoes, they squeak beyond belief,
with such a seasick sound,
Our toilet gurgles on...

The urinal at Lakewood Park can
really make you squirm.
It can pass more water than a
nervous pachyderm.
The silly thing has got us all up
standing on the berm.
Our toilet gurgles on

Refrain:

Lakewood urinals forever! (3 times)
Our toilet gurgles on!


My wallet thins from water bills,
too soggy to ignore,
Yet still, we dream of better days,
beside the men's room shore.
Politicians hear us,
or we'll show you to the door.
Our toilet gurgles on!

(to Refrain)

Not sure whether I'd make a very good laureate anyway. I just don't sit around resting on them 'thar laurels all that often.

Back to the banjo

Just a reminder ... nominations for the position of Lakewood Poet Laureate are due by February 28.

Please submit the name and contact information of your nominee to the City Council Office; 12650 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio.

Word from Clerk of Council Mary Hagan is that two gentlemen have their names in the proverbial ring!