Writing on Week Fifteen

Poetry is everywhere. It is on everyone's lips and sometimes in the most unexpected places. I work in government and, for employee morale and just for fun, there is a whiteboard in the stairwell for people to write down their thoughts, draw goofy pictures or solicit opinions. I saw a written comment "There is no money in poetry, but then there is little poetry in money." Someone else had come along and written "there is money in poetry, if you know how to find it." I wrote a simple "Cheers!" beside it.
The fact is, I've been able to turn my work cubicle into a mini poetry booth, and sold five copies of my book by displaying it on my file cabinet. No supervisors have shut me down, yet! People have a leaning towards the arts; it is part of our human make-up. One colleague of mine was generous enough to share a poem he had memorized in University, and I was treated to both the Greek and English translation.
Even those who swear up and down that they don't like poetry and never understood it - read them a good, accessible poem and they could change their minds right in front of you. I will be participating in the annual Random Acts of Poetry event in October 2007, and am feeling more encouraged about it. In the past, the thought of approaching strangers and ambushing them with a poem had scared me to death. I thought I might be verbally abused or shoved to the side, but then I look at the buskers belting out their creativity every day, all over town. Perhaps not everyone throws a coin into their hat, but I think we all secretly applaud them. The proof is in the pudding - and I've been given support and praise at my work for my efforts. People understand the importance of the arts, and it is warming to witness.