A Poet Laureate for Newburyport

A Poet Laureate for Newburyport? Say that fast five times.

Jeepers, if Boston can have one, if Cambridge can have a poet for the masses as described in today's Globe, why can't we have one? What better time for poetry if not during an economic meltdown!

I anticipate the anonymous comments on the Daily News website: "We've got more important issues! Why can't Councillor Cameron fix my street, cut the City budget without harming services, end global warming," but it doesn't have to cost the City money to honor and promote poetry in our community, in our schools, in our civic affairs.

This effort would also complement the fantastic folks driving our Literary Festival. And make Newburyport better known as a community which values the arts.

Simply put, the City with interested members of the community could put together a process whereby one citizen would be chosen to be our official Poet Laureate. The honor would be unpaid, the details and purpose would need to be set.

Here's how Boston does it http://www.cityofboston.gov/arts/pdfs/PoetLaureate.pdf.

And yes, I believe plagiarism is allowed in municipal governance if not in the literary world.

Are there any creative types that want to work on this with me? Please comment or email me at edcameronNBPT@gmail.com.

My own humble haiku on a beautiful morning:

Port's surprise fresh snow
beauty in the morn, Crow Lane
still stinks to high heav'n

Ed