CULTURE

Of Poetry, in New Jersey

The importance of art in a world run by politics

A poet reads at Atlantic City Juneteenth celebration — 2024 — Photo Copyright © Stockton University

I traveled to Atlantic City recently. I love the place. I have been going there since I was a boy with my family. Now, I go by myself.

So happens this time, I was invited to read poetry also at the Jersey shore for Juneteenth along with some other poets. It was very cool.

When I started out as a poet many years ago in the 1980s, this was regular stuff. We hopped in our cars, or on a bus, on in someone else’s car, and we read our poetry to small and large audiences.

Sometimes, we got paid; most of the time we didn’t. We sometimes had books to sell; usually we didn’t. It was always about the poetry, the fellowship, the lovely words and living in the moment as a literary artist. Afterward, we hung out, ate greasy food, and chopped it up.

Of course, most of us can’t do that forever and ever. But, we like to dream. We have to dream.

In New Jersey, I just had a chance to do that again. It so happened, it was Juneteenth.

It turns out that was cool enough but then the Governor of New Jersey walks into the poetry reading. Phil Murphy.