Poet laureate inauguration, Feb. 27

01.25.13 - 3:24 pm | Tim Redmond |

(21)

San Francisco's new poet laureate, who also happens to be a Guardian columnist, gets officially inaugurated Jan. 27 -- and while I have no idea what he's going to say, I expect it will be lively. Murguia's a political poet and has a lot to say about what's happening and what's happened to the Mission and the Latino community. He's also, of course, an awesome writer, so expect a lyrical presentation. 1 pm to 3 pm, Koret Auditorium, SF public library.

Comments

And a city needs a poet laureate because . . . ?

Please tell me he doesn't get taxpayer money to write biased political "poems".

Posted by Guest on Jan. 25, 2013 @ 3:28 pm

Because culture matters.

There's more to life than money and commercial interests. That's why we have schools, libraries, recreational facilities, etc.

If you are not interested (and surely you aren't,) then stay away and let others enjoy the richness that poets (laureates and others) offer.

Philistine troll spouting unconstructive criticism.

Posted by Eddie on Jan. 25, 2013 @ 3:52 pm

Eddie, I never said poetry is pointless.

I asked why SF needs a "poet laureate".

And whether my taxes go to pay this guy?

Posted by Guest on Jan. 25, 2013 @ 4:07 pm

If your taxes pay for something,

it is because the elected Board of Supervisors and Mayor allocated the funds. You always carry on about the will of the voters....and the "moderate" nature of the San Francisco electorate.

Posted by Eddie on Jan. 25, 2013 @ 4:20 pm

So IOW, Eddie, you don't know the answer to either of my

questions, and so deflected?

Posted by Guest on Jan. 25, 2013 @ 5:05 pm

Do your own research, lazy ass.

I know if the poet laureate is compensated because I checked. Usually, I like to share, but not this time.

Posted by Eddie on Jan. 25, 2013 @ 5:24 pm

Yeah, it requires a lot of

Yeah, it requires a lot of "research".

SFGate:

"When Mayor Ed Lee called to ask Murguía whether he would take the two-year poet laureate position, and the city library's $5,000 stipend,"

Posted by Demented, Yet Terribly, Terribly, Persistent on Jan. 26, 2013 @ 6:05 am

I didn't say it was hard.

At least I did it, unlike "Guest." I believe that the $5,000 is a total for the two year term.

Posted by Eddie on Jan. 26, 2013 @ 7:43 am

But don't worry, he teaches

But don't worry, he teaches at SF State, so he has a sweet, sweet government pension you get to pay for as well.

Posted by Demented, Yet Terribly, Terribly, Persistent on Jan. 26, 2013 @ 6:07 am

Why isn't good art ever

subsidized?

Lets say it enriches us all for the government to toss in some money for art, why is it almost always so shitty?

Posted by matlock on Jan. 25, 2013 @ 5:08 pm

Perhaps because having a

Perhaps because having a lifetime sinecure from the government is not conducive to good art?

Posted by Demented, Yet Terribly, Terribly, Persistent on Jan. 26, 2013 @ 6:22 am

During the New Deal there was some good art

and a cross section of artists who were financed.

There are the people specialize in who do the required percentage of costs public space art, BART stations, city halls and whatnot. That stuff isn't the worst stuff out there and is always unpolitical.

I worked with a girl who's "art" was macaroni noodle type shit, she tried to sell it a few times, she tried to get it shown, no takers in either case. Once I figured out she was nuts I stayed away, I once overheard her say to her fellow nut "this country doesn't know how to support it's artists" meaning the tax payers.

The other genre's of tax supported art always seems to involve the Angela Davis mindset, live off the government while bitching endlessly about it.

Posted by matlock on Jan. 26, 2013 @ 7:44 pm

I bet he doesn't write this good

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU4RD2f2BnY

Posted by matlock on Jan. 25, 2013 @ 3:51 pm

"Murguia's a political

"Murguia's a political poet"

From the SFBG:

"As part of a literacy campaign aimed at city officials and our elected leaders, two poets Virginia Barrett and Bobby Coleman, have put together an anthology Occupy SF: poems from the movement that includes more than 100 poets, from Lawrence Ferlinghetti, devorah major and Jack Hirschman to many emerging poets. The two editors have launched a campaign to place this anthology in the hands of every city bureaucrat and elected official. They are operating as a nonprofit, and all proceeds go to benefit the evolving Occupy movement."

Great - another no-talent "political" poet.

Posted by Demented, Yet Terribly, Terribly, Persistent on Jan. 26, 2013 @ 6:05 am

Pay no heed to the trolls; they have no poetry in their souls

''You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.''

~Maya Angelou

Posted by Ana on Jan. 26, 2013 @ 1:51 pm

Nobody is denying you the right to write bad poetry.

We're just quibbling over whether it is a legitimate use of public funds, and especially when the "poet" is politically biased.

Posted by Guest on Jan. 26, 2013 @ 2:40 pm

It is certain that if Murgía

It is certain that if Murgía were merely a competent poet, and not "political", Redmond and the SFBG would not pay the slightest bit of attention to him.

It's the agitprop which they like.

Posted by Demented, Yet Terribly, Terribly, Persistent on Jan. 26, 2013 @ 3:27 pm

The man from nantucket.

Homer Simpson: Hey, you know, I once knew a man from Nantucket.
Bart Simpson: And?
Homer Simpson: Let's just say the stories about him are greatly exaggerated.

Posted by matlock on Jan. 26, 2013 @ 7:19 pm

Thank you all, you made me want to read this poet...

and he is superb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxu-TltcmEI

http://www.hartnell.edu/homestead_review/sp01/murguia.html

Posted by Ana on Jan. 27, 2013 @ 3:09 pm

Takes himself WAY too seriously

Like most progressives.

Posted by Lucretia Snapples on Jan. 27, 2013 @ 5:19 pm

tiger

Hi, thanks for sharing.

Posted by tiger on Apr. 10, 2013 @ 8:34 am