Contact: Joyce Johannson
(612) 927-4543
Magnetic Poetry Adds Its Voice to Minnesota Legislature’s
Bi-partisan Call for a State Poet Laureate
(MINNEAPOLIS) June 1, 2005 – In response to Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty’s veto of a bi-partisan, tax-free bill to establish a state poet laureate, one of Minnesota’s own nationally known poetry supporters, Magnetic Poetry, today added its voice to the cry of “poetry for the people!”
“The Bush Administration, the Minnesota State Legislature and 34 other states all think it’s a good idea to have a poet laureate,” said Dave Kapell, inventor of the Magnetic Poetry Kit. “At the national level, the poet laureate is a paid position. At the state level, including the proposed position here, it is a volunteer position. State poet laureates play a role in helping school kids and adults read, write and understand poetry, and making what is often perceived as a ‘difficult’ literary form more accessible. It’s hard to imagine what Governor Pawlenty sees as the downside to this bill, especially since it costs taxpayers nothing. Perhaps most troubling is the message that this veto sends about support for artistic expression and intellectual values here in Minnesota.”
To help expand the Governor’s appreciation of poetry, Magnetic Poetry is sending the Governor several Magnetic Poetry kits, including the Original Kit, which started it all, the patriotic America kit, and, knowing the Governor’s penchant for music, the Rock & Roll kit.
“Perhaps spending some time with poetry will spark more creativity and imagination on the Minnesota budget and other issues we’re facing at the state level,” said Kapell.
In the meantime, Magnetic Poetry invites Minnesotans to wax poetic at www.magneticpoetry.com, where they can share their poems online.
# # #