We need everyday writers as much as poets

by HOWARD M. BERLIN

12/23/2002

Mention the word "laureate" and most people probably think of the Nobel laureates, individuals recognized for significant achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, economics and peace negotiations.

Many probably had never heard of the poet laureate, an honorary title going back to medieval England around the time of Chaucer. It was given to a poet appointed for life by the sovereign. As a member of the court, the poet was expected to compose poems for special occasions.

Today, the title is given by a country or state to an eminent or representative bard to raise the profile of poetry among citizens. The United States has Billy Collins, whose official title is the poet laureate consultant in poetry. And 24 states have a similar official post, although many are unpaid.

In September, New Jersey's newly appointed poet laureate, Amiri Baraka (the former LeRoi Jones), angered many with his anti-Semitic calumny, "Somebody Blew Up America." Only three months earlier Gov. James McGreevey had appointed Baraka to the two-year post that carries a $10,000 stipend. That despite the fact that for almost 40 years, Baraka had spewed anti-Semitic and anti-white screeds and used almost every canard to bash Jews. He also denigrates high-profile blacks such as Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice with hip-hop lyrics that do not deserve to be posted here.

Even though the governor appointed Baraka, based on the recommendation by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, he can't fire him. There is no state law that addresses the removal of the poet laureate since the post was established in 1999. Because Baraka won't resign on his own, legislation is being drafted to correct this lapse.

California poet laureate Quincy Troupe abruptly resigned in October after being appointed by Gov. Gray Davis four months earlier. Troupe admitted that he had falsified his resume, claiming that he graduated from Grambling College.

Davis picked Troupe, a college professor and author of 13 books, for the two-year position with a $10,000 honorarium from recommendations tendered by the California Arts Council. With the same falsified credentials, Troupe was hired as a professor of creative writing and American and Caribbean literature at the University of California at San Diego. He has taught at other colleges. Since UCSD does not even require a bachelor's degree of its professors, the school is not sure what it will do with Troupe.

Delaware has had its own poet laureate since 1947, an unpaid honorary position. Since October 2001, the 12th and current laureate has been Fleda Brown, a University of Delaware English professor and author. Brown has thankfully done nothing to embarrass the state.

If the need for a state poet laureate is deemed to be in the public interest, I suggest that Gov. Minner also create an honorary position of writer laureate to raise general writing skills. Achievement tests reveal that public school students could stand a lot of improvement in this area.

At the risk of shameless self-promotion, I nominate myself for the job. Besides writing an occasional newspaper opinion piece, I have written nearly 29 non-fiction books. My last one even won a literary award last year, although it was no Pulitzer Prize or National Book Award. If you don't like my idea, then let the governor know your proposal to raise the level of students' writing skills.

Howard M. Berlin, of Wilmington, teaches electrical engineering.