Not long ago a taxi driver asked me to recite a poem in his cab
(going to the airport, and I'd mentioned I was going to a
poetry festival). Which I did and he really seemed to enjoy it.
As I paid the fare I offered him a chapbook as a kind of a tip
(tipping is not usual here in Australia) but he insisted on
paying for it. (They're only $4)
The cabbie was Polish -- I don't know if that means anything.
The "what sort of poetry" question is painfully familiar.
I usually fish a chapbook out of my bag and show them!
And "who's your favourite poet?". To which I reply, with some degree
of accuracy, "Louis Macneice", and watch the eyes glaze over.
"Are you famous?" is another. Evidently not.
Janet
> Well I don't usually say poet as I write other stuff too but I do find when
> people hear I'm a poet they want me to tell them what I write about (life,
> family, whatever strikes my fancy which leads to "but what about life?") and
> then more often times than not want me to recite.
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Janet Jackson <[log in to unmask]>
www.myspace.com/poetjj
www.proximity.webhop.net
Allegedly, some kid poet came over to Robert Frost at some gathering and
introduced himself by saying "I'm a poet." Frost replied "That's a
praise word. I'd wait 'til someone else called me that."
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