All Hail the Native Sons
Of that renowned pair
in whose universal fame
this copperhead city basks
in dubious honor–
a poet and a politician–
the former drank Lysol
and the latter hopped an east-bound train,
grew a beard and never
came back.
—Frank Stokes
Local poets were writing about contemporary events in the Sangamo
Journal as early as the 1830s. People’s Poetry wants you to share your thoughts
on what’s happening in Springfield today–in poetic form. Poems on any subject
will be considered, but ones that deal with issues of local interest are encouraged.
Send yours to poetry editor Lee Gurga,.P.O. Box 662, Lincoln, IL 62656, or to
gurga@ccaonline.com with “Bards of
the Sangamo” in the subject line. (Please limit your submissions to poems of
14 lines or less.)
This article appears in May 8-14, 2003.
