Broken Turtle Blog

Broken Turtle Blog

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Following Following What Money

As a poet of some accomplishment, I am poor and little known. Why? Personal history involving no public issue aside, I have simply failed to find an audience. That's show-biz for ya!

When it comes to public funding of the arts, I would love to be able to say I'm confused. But I'm not: instead I'm ambivalent. Would that I were confused, as then I'd be less responsible for my perplexity. Of course I want you to hand me money to write a poem! But, who pays the piper calls the tune. Then again, the tyranny of the marketplace didn't bother the Beatles or Gone with the Wind. But the government? Okay, we've got a good history on that in the USA in the 20th century, but will the luck hold? Oh sure, government for the people, but who are the people? If a writer cries out in the wilderness even over a loudspeaker, and still no one's listening, did he utter anything? And at public expense?

Hey, but why not think of art as religion? Instead of endowments maybe I should get a property tax break like the church, and say throw in franking priveleges too. After all, religion and art are sisters in spirituality. Which would-- oops!-- make government funding of the arts a violation of the separation of church and state? And I'd lose the right to endorse a candidate. Or if not, as a poor little-known poet I would have to compete with St. Patrick's Cathedral, claiming on my application form, "I declare my No. 2 pencil. I um, well... sorta write poems with it..."

2 comments:

  1. Douglas,


    You always had a rapt audience in me,
    my friend. And I am worth a thousand
    thronging faces, easily.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Azureoceanlight,

    Your attention and appreciation are most kind. Even in my aging condition, flattery may still get you some places, whoever you are. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete