The Columbus Arts Festival, but not poetry

Up until 2014 the Word is Art Stage of the Columbus Arts Festival was on an upswing. Many good people volunteered their time and abilities to make the weekend a destination stop for poetry in Columbus during an exciting festival weekend. Poets, storytellers and writers who were not only from Columbus, but from all over the state and represented some of the best literary talent that Ohio had to offer.

Good strong bones had been developed for future festival organizers and committee members to build upon. A solid blueprint had finally begun to form after years of erratic scheduling and committees. While far from perfection, there was a sense that local poetry and literary performances were an event at the festival, and not an afterthought.

Last year, the marrow was sucked out of the bones by a committee that reduced the number of poets on the stage in favor of writing and publication workshops - which are good and fine, but not necessarily at an outdoor festival. The regression in programming quality had begun. Little has changed from last year. In fact it’s much worse. The current schedule on the festival’s website is not complete, but it does not inspire confidence.

This year six poets have been scheduled to read over the course of the weekend. In 2014 over 50 poets graced the stage.The profound drop off in numbers is deliberate. No disrespect is meant to any of the poets who will be performing. There has once again been little promotion for applying to be on the stage or announcements of anyone performing on the Word is Art Stage via social media. All the while the Festival has been tweeting about their 5K and promoting other artists, none of the posts have mentioned a poet or writer.

As an example of the shortcomings of the organizers; this year marks the debut of the Poet Laureate in Ohio. He lives in Dublin, is local to Columbus and he was not contacted to read by anyone associated with the festival. This would have been a golden programming coup, if the committee had the intent of promoting Ohio poetry.

It can no longer be considered a missed opportunity, but a failure by the Columbus Arts Festival organizers to recognize or develop any effort in publicizing those appearing on the Word is Art stage. A failure due to a lack of respect of poetry by the executive committee of the festival. Add nepotism and hubris as probable causes of the dismantling of successful programming, then it becomes obvious that once solid bones have been decidedly broken. New structure is needed, once again, to rebuild an sound and vital cultural arts tradition that the Columbus Arts Festival has disconnected from its visitors.

A few hits to fill in the blanks

This was a good little record by the Fine Young Cannibals back in 1989. It was a year I do not remember too well. Too much drinking, a few too many drugs and general unhappiness/uncertainty. At the end of the year we moved to Ohio, leaving the alcoholic comfort zone of lousy pay for the mystery of a big city. If I stayed on I would not have survived. The next decade was a combination of being broken down and breaking myself. Bad career decisions were made, one after the other. A marriage fell apart. The next decade seemed to repeat itself with financial strain replacing the alcohol. These days the stressors are different but profound and worrisome. I've found it harder to reach my son when the show in his head is greater than that around him, or if he's in pain. It's hard for him to tell us that, and it weighs heavy.

Then this song becomes the show in my head -

"Oh I know that times are bad
and they make you want to cry
Don't be sad, we'll get by"

All I can say is, maybe.

Can it get any worse? Why yes, it can!

The NHL trade deadline passed yesterday and Rich Nash remains a Blue Jacket. It is understood that the price General Manager Scott Howson was asking was too high, which is all good and fine.

Then Howson had a press conference and announced that Nash was the one who asked to be traded.

I'm still trying to figure out why he did that. To me, this lowers the asking price for Nash. Twenty nine other teams are now certain that the player is the one who wants out, and what team wants a disgruntled player? A franchise player. A team captain.

How does Nash keep the "C" on his jersey after this?

It's going to be another sad ending to a Blue Jackets season, there are still twenty games to go.

How Howson can be given the keys to reassemble a team that is now shattered is beyond me. He is an architect of failure, what type of ownership would let him have the responsibility again?

I think I know the answer to my own question.