North Carolina Gov Picks A Poet-You Know-Laureate
There’s a bit of a stink going on in North Carolina this week. Nothing so serious that lives are at risk, but serious enough, in a state that prides itself on its ability to nurture and grow literary giants, that the story moved all the way up the Looky Here ladder to the New York Times.
I’ll get right to it: After North Carolina Poet Laureate Joseph Bathanti’s two-year term was up, Governor Pat McCrory took it upon himself (a big no-no right there, see below) to appoint Valerie Macon, a nearly unknown poet, to the prestigious post.
I am not going to pick on this poor woman who, as I understand it, writes poems about the homeless, a subject after my own heart. No, I’m going to pick on Pat McCrory, the governor of North Carolina, the guy who appointed her, subjecting her in the process to intense scrutiny and extreme humiliation, all because the dumb bugger apparently didn’t know the first thing about appointing a Poet Laureate.
Not every state has a Poet Laureate. (Michigan, my Michigan doesn’t have one, though the folks in the U.P took it upon themselves to appoint one for our neck of the woods.) But North Carolina has a long history of producing and nurturing poets and writers. within the state itself and within the renowned writing program at Chapel Hill. They take their writing claim-to-fame seriously.
Note to Michigan writers: Not saying we don’t take our writing seriously. We do. Some pretty famous writers and poets have come out of our beautiful state. So really, folks, why don’t we have a Poet Laureate?
But back to N.C: Traditionally–and rightly–writers from all over the state, including members of the North Carolina Arts Council, have always been consulted before the poet laureate selection. They’re the only ones in a position to actually know which poets have the credentials to be up for consideration. They then pass along a recommendation to the governor, who, since he has bigger fish to fry (we’re hoping), just goes along and signs the decree. Then almost everyone is happy. (The exceptions being the poets who thought they should have been chosen, of course.)
Gov. McCrory has only been in office for a year and a half. His previous job was with Duke Energy. It could be that Valerie Macon is the only poet he knows in the entire state, and since he’s the governor he thought it was his duty, and his duty alone, crazy as it seems, to choose a Poet Laureate, whatever that is.
But didn’t Valerie Macon know enough about the job to be able to say to McCrory, when he asked her if she was interested, “Are you nuts?” She had to know her flimsy credentials didn’t even begin to qualify her for such a post. She self-published two chapbooks, claimed she was a Pushcart Prize finalist (an impossibility for a self-publisher), and has had to admit she didn’t actually win the prestigious award cited in the governor’s press release about her new position. (The award went to a poet who had mentored Macon.) Right there, she should have known there would be trouble ahead.
So, okay, poor unsuspecting Valerie Macon. She was thrilled. And who wouldn’t be? But for over a week now she has been subjected to unrelenting, mostly hateful comments about her ethics, about her life, about her efforts as a poet.
I won’t repeat them here, or link to them. She doesn’t deserve all that hate. They’ve attacked her abilities as a poet and that’s not fair. She may not be Laureate material, but poetry is so uniquely personal and individual, who gets to decide what’s good and what’s not?
At least one screed ended on a thoughtful note, saying, in effect, “Let’s help Valerie be the best Laureate she can be by inviting her to places where she can be exposed to actual poetry.” The writer then went on to publish an entire poem written by Macon–without her permission–and take it apart in an appalling, insufferable, holier-than-thou critique.
In a little less than a full week, Valerie Macon resigned her new post.
Governor McCrory owes her an apology. And so, by the way, does that patronizing critic who went on to call her poem “patronizing”. (And me, too, I would think, for even bringing it up again.)
It will be over soon. With the help of the literary community in North Carolina, a brand new North Carolina Poet Laureate will be chosen. And everyone can get on with their lives.
Except maybe Valerie Macon.
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By: Ramona Grigg
Ramona Grigg is a freelance columnist and blogger living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.. She owns the liberal-leaning blog, Ramona's Voices, and is a contributor to Liberaland and on the masthead at Dagblog.
34 responses to North Carolina Gov Picks A Poet-You Know-Laureate
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edmeyer_able July 19th, 2014 at 18:25
There once was a redneck from Macon
Who loved fried eggs and bacon
He came home from work one day
To find his wife Sally Mae
Sleeping with his brother Damon.
Carla Akins July 19th, 2014 at 18:26
You’re hired!
burqa July 19th, 2014 at 22:57
Macon……….bacon……….Damon……………doesn’t rhyme…..
edmeyer_able July 20th, 2014 at 14:15
There once was a redneck from Raliegh
Who worked all day by taking Molly
He came home to find
His wife and brother in a ‘bind’
And said I think I’ll join them by golly
edmeyer_able July 19th, 2014 at 18:25
There once was a redneck from Macon
Who loved fried eggs and bacon
He came home from work one day
To find his wife Sally Mae
Sleeping with his brother Damon.
Carla Akins July 19th, 2014 at 18:26
You’re hired!
burqa July 19th, 2014 at 22:57
Macon……….bacon……….Damon……………doesn’t rhyme…..
edmeyer_able July 20th, 2014 at 14:15
There once was a redneck from Raliegh
Who worked all day by taking Molly
He came home to find
His wife and brother in a ‘bind’
And said I think I’ll join them by golly
Ramona July 19th, 2014 at 18:30
Not so fast,Carla. That last line stinks.
Carla Akins July 20th, 2014 at 06:00
LOL. It was much better than I could do – and he was willing to go public, a winner in my book.
Ramona July 20th, 2014 at 07:37
Just kidding, of course. I’ve known many poets and I will admit freely I don’t always get what they’re going for, but I love that they free themselves up to do it.
Carla Akins July 20th, 2014 at 08:53
I love all the arts and in awe of all those that put themselves out there. Unfortunately, I have no talent that will allow me join their ranks – but I am a very appreciative audience. :-)
Ramona July 19th, 2014 at 18:30
Not so fast,Carla. That last line stinks.
Carla Akins July 20th, 2014 at 06:00
LOL. It was much better than I could do – and he was willing to go public, a winner in my book.
Ramona July 20th, 2014 at 07:37
Just kidding, of course. I’ve known many poets and I will admit freely I don’t always get what they’re going for, but I love that they free themselves up to do it.
Carla Akins July 20th, 2014 at 08:53
I love all the arts and in awe of all those that put themselves out there. Unfortunately, I have no talent that will allow me join their ranks – but I am a very appreciative audience. :-)
burqa July 19th, 2014 at 22:55
Kinda hard to weigh in on this one. I’m not up on poets in North Carolina….
arc99 July 19th, 2014 at 23:46
I am not up on poets in North Carolina either, but I will weigh in anyway.
Unfortunately, this is the age we live in where thanks to the internet, it is painfully easy for anyone so inclined to seize any and all opportunities to be the biggest a$$hole they can possibly be. .
burqa July 20th, 2014 at 20:35
Is Macon the one who wrote that poem about a man from Nantucket?
burqa July 19th, 2014 at 22:55
Kinda hard to weigh in on this one. I’m not up on poets in North Carolina….
arc99 July 19th, 2014 at 23:46
I am not up on poets in North Carolina either, but I will weigh in anyway.
Unfortunately, this is the age we live in where thanks to the internet, it is painfully easy for anyone so inclined to seize any and all opportunities to be the biggest a$$hole they can possibly be. .
burqa July 20th, 2014 at 20:35
Is Macon the one who wrote that poem about a man from Nantucket?
Robert Johnston July 20th, 2014 at 02:08
In many parts of the world, poets and their works are revered and cherished.
Here in America, only dead poets get the same acclaim.
Still, I am a poet, and I damn well know it (two books published, working on a third).
Take it from me…writing poetry isn’t easy–and selling it may not seem worth it.
However, each person has but one destiny…and for me, it’s poetry.
–RKJ
fahvel July 20th, 2014 at 04:19
never put down the pen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Robert Johnston July 20th, 2014 at 05:03
Thank you!
–RKJ
Sydney July 20th, 2014 at 07:19
“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.” – Robert Frost
Ramona July 20th, 2014 at 07:51
Robert, writing good poetry–the kind that resonates and tells an entire story in just a few words–is very difficult. I’ve tried it several times and after working for hours or even days on a few lines and seeing that they’re not working, I’m forced to give up. (Before I send them out into the world, thankfully)
There was a time when we did admire and appreciate poetry in this country, but we seem to have lost the ability to stop and breathe long enough to give a poet’s words the time to blend and mellow in our hearts and in our brains.
We’re gobblers now. We don’t even chew. It makes it hard on poets who strive to make us feel something by choosing the exact, right words.
Robert Keith Johnston July 20th, 2014 at 02:08
In many parts of the world, poets and their works are revered and cherished.
Here in America, only dead poets get the same acclaim.
Still, I am a poet, and I damn well know it (two books published, working on a third).
Take it from me…writing poetry isn’t easy–and selling it may not seem worth it.
However, each person has but one destiny…and for me, it’s poetry.
–RKJ
fahvel July 20th, 2014 at 04:19
never put down the pen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Robert Keith Johnston July 20th, 2014 at 05:03
Thank you!
–RKJ
Sydney July 20th, 2014 at 07:19
“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.” – Robert Frost
Ramona July 20th, 2014 at 07:51
Robert, writing good poetry–the kind that resonates and tells an entire story in just a few words–is very difficult. I’ve tried it several times and after working for hours or even days on a few lines and seeing that they’re not working, I’m forced to give up. (Before I send them out into the world, thankfully)
There was a time when we did admire and appreciate poetry in this country, but we seem to have lost the ability to stop and breathe long enough to give a poet’s words the time to blend and mellow in our hearts and in our brains.
We’re gobblers now. We don’t even chew. It makes it hard on poets who strive to make us feel something by choosing the exact, right words.
Sydney July 20th, 2014 at 06:23
Humiliating as it was, Valerie Macon did the right thing to resign.
Now the voters need to do the right thing and vote MCrooky and his buddy, $Art Pope$, out of office.
Sydney July 20th, 2014 at 06:23
Humiliating as it was, Valerie Macon did the right thing to resign.
Now the voters need to do the right thing and vote MCrooky and his buddy, $Art Pope$, out of office.