Good one. But why did it land in by junk box?
Sally Evans
http://www.desktopsallye.com
http://www.poetryscotland.co.uk
tel UK 01877 339449
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jon Corelis" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2009 3:06 PM
Subject: Stimulus plans to include poetry
> Thought this might be of interest ....
>
> =====
>
> Washington (CNS) - In a surprising twist on the administration's
> economic stimulus plan, a proposal is being floated to include funds
> for the purchase of poetry in the program.
>
> According to White House congressional liaison aide April Narr, the
> proposal is still under development, but it is conceived as involving
> substantial grants to American poetry publications to pass on to their
> contributing poets in payment for their work. "The working idea,"
> said Narr, "is to consult experts to draw up a list of the hundred
> best established poetry journals in the country, and give them federal
> economic stimulus grants so they can pay their poets much more for
> their work. The target figure is $1,000 per line."
>
> Though some may question the effectiveness of trying to restart the
> American economy by paying money to poets, Narr maintained that "the
> whole idea of the economic stimulus plan is to get people to buy
> things, and why should buying poetry be any different from buying
> apples or toothpaste?"
>
> Since poets are typically starving artists, Narr continued, they would
> be likely to spend their increased revenues on basic foodstuffs, such
> as bread, and usually being bohemian types they would also spend the
> money on wine and cheese, making this part of the stimulus
> "potentially of significant benefit to our nation's baking,
> wine-making, and dairy industries."
>
> Narr admitted, though, that there was some concern that the proposed
> $1,000 per line payments might result in a proliferation of poems with
> very short lines.
>
> Asked if she herself is a poetry fan, Narr replied, "Yes, I am a great
> fan. In school I got to recite The Bells by Edgar Allen Poe in a
> pageant."
>
> =====
>
> --
> ===============================================
>
> Jon Corelis http://jcorelis.googlepages.com/joncorelis
>
> ===============================================
>
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