Belz

This is a funny book:

Fellow poets-

You may or may not have heard that I have been put in charge of poetry. It
is a temporary measure, just until we can come up with a solution to some of
the challenges poetry currently faces. I want you to know that I know what
an incredible responsibility this is, and I will do my best to account for
the variety of opinions and aesthetics represented among poets. In fact, I
would like to think of the recipients of this message as a sort of
cabinet--an inner circle, if you will--advising me on how best to govern
poetry during my tenure.

Obviously we will need a manual to reference while we work together in this
vast undertaking, a sort of common starting point, and I have decided, at
least for the time being, to assign THE BIRD HOVERER, which can be ordered
here: http://www.blazevox.org/bk-ab.htm Now the notion of using a book of
original poems as the official manual for poetry might strike some as odd;
indeed, a case might be made that a traditional reference volume, or an
annotated anthology, might suit our purpose more effectively. However, THE
BIRD HOVERER is *my* book, representing my own unique aesthetic priorities,
and as such it would seem to be mandatory reading to prepare all of us for
what lies ahead.

Again, I know that my executive role was not assigned lightly. I will do my
best to respect the office and to keep in mind the concerns of my
constituency. Toward that end, I will employ an "open door" policy, fielding
correspondence from anyone who needs my opinion on matters of policy and
governance. All I require in return is that all of you immediately
familiarize yourselves with the manual so that our discussions will reflect
unity--or at least an aspiration toward unity--rather than the clamor and
chaos that characterized the previous administration.

In closing, I salute each one of you: your implicit hopefulness, your
immeasurable talent, and the revolutionary spirit you bring to
poetry-related tasks on a daily basis are what makes poetry *poetry*. What I
want more than anything else is to function as a catalyst for what you are
already doing. The present is bright. Let's work together to make the future
even brighter.


My best wishes,

Aaron Belz