Attention Olivia Folks

Image by davef3138 via FlickrHi gang, I don't know if anyone remembers this but I wrote one poem in my life and it became a big hit all over the town of Olivia. It actually caused quite a stir in the Corn Capitol. I had people coming up to me asking about it and complimenting me all summer long. I probably should have put it in the local newspaper as a "letter to the editor" but I used my friend's mom's name in it and I didn't want to embarrass her but I could just as well have since she mentioned to poem to me and she knew I was referring to her.  I think it was back in or around 1974-76 time frame and Olivia got a 50-50 grant from some arts group to have a "community poet".  The city kicked in some money and it was history: Olivia had it's very own "Poet".  Since nobody could figure out exactly why we needed one, I was at a local restaurant and all the local farmers were complaining and making fun of the idea. So I did what was called a "heard poem" which means I heard it and I wrote it pretty much as is.  I think I have this poem in my memory so let's check and see if I can recall it all. It's not professional but many copies were spread all over town.

"The small community of Olivia has hired a poet. Does anybody know it?
The city is paying this man 16 grand. He's really making a haul, all together it's 32,000 thou.

But what does he do? Well, just ask Sue, she'll say we need him for better communication but what it seems we need is better representation of our tax dollar and we all better start to hollar. Unless you want to become a Poet and let everybody know it.seems to be a profitable business these days. It really is a craze.

So next time you see "our Poet" say "thanks loads" for the city may not be fixing our roads, because they spent the money on something funny, like a Poet."