The Observation Deck

In a Boston Globe article on poet laureates, Lakewood gets a brief mention.

"Lakewood , Ohio, has one -- the retired district manager of a combustion-control company, an octogenarian devoted to his bucket hat."

For more see:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articl ... t_know_it/

There is no notice of the poet's name. The unusual private construction of Lakewood's Poet Laureate honor through the Lakewood Buzz diverges from the path typically organized politically by the state. This is not mentioned either.

Kenneth Warren

Poet Laureate is one thing, but how do we go about getting Gary Rice listed as our official Town Crier.

To be, a poet in Lakewood,

'Tis a mighty fine thing, we all see.

But if recognition be what you are seeking,

You may be barking up the wrong tree.

Ken

Wouldn't one have to question the legitimacy of that awarding that when we found out part of the deal was an ownership contract.

I will never forget when speaking with Jack about writing a story about his new book. He was so excited, then called back saying the group that awarded it had all say in who he could speak with or work with.

Later as you recall the story was killed.

So one would ask if Jack was the Poet Laureate of the City, or of one man?

FWIW


.

Jim:

The privatization of poesis, the private construction of the office of the Poet Laureate, and the ownership lock-down of the story itself go against grain and stick in the craw. But that's the deep story the Boston Globe article missed. Actually the Lakewood poet laureate situation is not at all analogous to the officially constructed political office/designation under review in Boston.
It's funny how memes uncork, freed eventually from the deep local context of the contest, which itself seemed a unusual way to approach the office.

On another note, Gary Rice spins the hits faster than anyone I have seen or heard in Lakewood. In my book, he is Lakewood’s “Troubadour Par Excellence.â€Â

Oh well, let's continue to build the brand and accentuate the positive.

To do otherwise would not be a pretty sight.

I am inspired to create yet another parody:

With apologies to John Payne's 1823 playlines...
and Sir Henry Bishop's resultant 1852 song..

"Home Sweet Home" (Lakewood style)

On this Deck, though we rumble,
There's no place like home.
Though we often shall grumble,
There's no place like home.

With Lakewood for all folks,
though far away we roam,
With hope for the future,
There's no place like home