To Practice Your Scales, So To Speak,

For Years, I Had Heard About The Lack Of Interest In Literature In The U.s. And I Had Complained About The Lack Of Respect Artists Got Here. In My Heart, I Failed To Understand How People Could Fail To Be Moved By Art.

If Only The Sun-drenched Celebrities Are Being Noticed And Worshiped, Then Our Children Are Going To Have A Tough Time Seeing The Value In The Shadows, Where The Thinkers, Probers And Scientists Are Keeping Society Together.

The First Book: Go Ahead, It Won't Bite. Well... Maybe A Little. More A Nip, Like. A Tingle. It's Pleasurable, Really. You See, It Keeps On Opening. You May Fall In. Sure, It's Hard To Get Started; Remember Learning To Use Knife And Fork? Dig In: You'll Never Reach Bottom. It's Not Like It's The End Of The World -- Just The World As You Think You Know It.

Going To The Library Was The One Place We Got To Go Without Asking For Permission. And They Let Us Choose What We Wanted To Read. It Was A Feeling Of Having A Book Be Mine Entirely.

There Are Distinct Duties Of A Poet Laureate. I Plan A Reading Series At The Library Of Congress And Advise The Librarian. The Rest Is How I Want To Promote Poetry