Some folks on the Buffalo List are debating whether or not Bill Corbett should be elected as Poet Laureate of Boston. I think much better choices,( and I've written about it to Councilman John Tobin), would be Afaa Weaver or Charles Coe of the MCC, neither of whom are publishers in the way that Corbett is, but both of whom are very important cultural workers active in their local communities. Afaa runs the Zora Neale Hurston Poetry Center at Simmons, mentors emerging African-American poets through his work with Cave Canem, and puts on a very ambitious Chinese Poetry Conference that brings together scholars, translators, and poets from around the globe. Coe works with artists/writers and the community through his longstanding work with the state arts council. Coe ran a literary series out of his living room for many years and is also a gifted musician.

As a longtime former resident of Boston (7 years spread out over Allston, Brookline, the Back Bay, and Watertown), I feel that this is well worth weighing in on and would encourage other present and former Bostonians to write in.

Express yourself by writing to:

john@votejohntobin.com
letter@globe.com
dave@votejohntobin.com