The Poetry Business in
So how has this happened? Well a sceptic would say that funds within the council have been poorly managed and so the proverbial plug has to be pulled somewhere, someone has to pay for the appalling sickness record of the public sector. The reality, however, probably lies in the Blair legacy. Put simply, market forces rule. If a provider is not producing ‘best value’ – a KPI (Key Performance Indicators) and all of that other governmental double speak then the funding can be pulled or tendered out elsewhere. But, should this be the case, it is ludicrous. Firstly, poetry is internal not external and comes from the soul, the heart, things which do not conform to a cold rational framework of logic and so these particular appendages make no sense. Secondly, let’s believe the hype for one moment and say that they do make sense. How can a publisher who have been around for twenty one years and has made, according to Ian McMillan,
So why are Leftlion so concerned about a poetry business in
But perhaps most importantly, we support this cause because we believe in the power of the written word, if we didn’t we wouldn’t have invested so much time facilitating our own creative writing community. Poetry is important because it offers contemplation, self reflection and beauty. These are all facets missing from modern living. If you want to solve crime you don’t bang people up, build more prisons and tell spotty teenagers they can’t wear hoodies. You give them hope, an outlet for expression, ears and voice. Poetry offers beauty, contemplation and self reflection as tools to appease the natural apathy of urban life. Without these, where will the angst be diffused?
So fellow Hoodmen, my merry band of soldiers, this is a call to arms, this is a roadmap to peace, a proper roadmap to peace. Get your laptops switched on, sharpen your pencils, fold up newspapers to make megaphones and tattoo the below details on to your arms, and fight, as the Beastie Boys nearly said, for your right, to Poetry.
Write (by letter or email) to complain about the decision to withdraw their grant.