Local Laureate

[oggbashan]

Today I opened some mail from my local City Hall. It had been delivered on Saturday but I thought it could wait.

One letter surprised me. It is an invitation to apply to be the City's Laureate for a year. It is based on the UK's national Poet Laureate.

Anyone who has read my poetry will know that I'm no poet. They expect applicants, who must live or work within the local boundaries, to submit up to six poems or 1000 words of prose, AND

1. A current CV (resume)
2. A personal statement (one A4 sheet) that must demostrate:
- The personal and professional benefits the Laureateship will have on their creative development;
- What contributions they expect to make to the local literature programme and this year's theme (Interpretations of Identity and engaging with young people);
- The ability to be creative and adaptable in their approach to writing;
- Any relevant work experience;
- What they hope to achieve during the year.
3. Applicants must be over 18 and live or work locally;
- Be willing to perfrom their work/get involved with key events/run workshops/work with a diverse range of people;
- Be present in the district for a full year from September 2007;
- Provide evidence of Public Liability insurance up to five million pounds if appointed.

What the Laureate gets:
Two thousand five hundred pounds (but the Public Liability Insurance will cost nearly a thousand pounds!).
Publicised and published through City Hall publications.

Should I apply? Should I quote Literotica as my evidence of publication (especially the engaging with young people!)? How do I perform my work? Practical demonstration?

I don't think anyone at City Hall has actually read my stories. I hope not.

What would you do if your local City Hall offered a Laureate?

Og

PS. My wife is NOT amused...

 

[rgraham666]

What would you do if your local City Hall offered a Laureate?

Laugh my ass off!

 

[The_Fool]

I think I would find it as amusing as you do.


I'm trying to remember Poet Laureates that have been treated kindly by the critics...

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Point of clarification, if you please, oh, Great Og.

Is your wife NOT amused at the invitation to apply or at you for giving it some consideration?

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Dar~]

I'd say go for it. Try your hand at something you could read on stage in front of many. (not porn) I wouldn't reference Lit unless you'd asked Laurel or Manu. Or submit some racy limericks and see if you get invited back next year!

 

[oggbashan]

Point of clarification, if you please, oh, Great Og.

Is your wife NOT amused at the invitation to apply or at you for giving it some consideration?

Rumple Foreskin

Both. She is about to retire in the next few weeks and is expecting us to spend some time travelling the UK and Europe. She tolerates my writing but my other activities are time-consuming and onerous.

The invitation was unexpected but she doesn't want me to enter because of the workload involved. She doesn't mind me getting the so-called honour but the Laureate would have to work hard for the money. I would still have my other activities so my spare time would be limited just when she wants us to have time together...

Og

 

[oggbashan]

I'd say go for it. Try your hand at something you could read on stage in front of many. (not porn) I wouldn't reference Lit unless you'd asked Laurel or Manu. Or submit some racy limericks and see if you get invited back next year!

I suspect that one of the reasons for the invitation was that I went on a City Hall sponsored course last year to perform literature on the stage of our local theatre. Unlike some of the other writers on that course I was happy to stand on an empty stage and make a fool of myself. Most of my colleagues on the course needed significant encouragement and support from the professional actors helping the course tutors.

Playing Henry VIII in public is not for shrinking violets. The events are not too bad for reluctant performers because they are part of a group. As Henry VIII I would walk around the town in costume promoting the event - on my own. I'm not sure that many of our local poets, almost all of whom are male and employed in local government, would go out in public dressed in that hat, what looks like a skirt, sagging pantyhose with a chain around my neck, and exchange repartee with hecklers.

Og