Remember a few months ago when Mississippi legislators failed to push through a bill recognizing Paul Ott's godawful "I Am Mississippi" as the state's official poem? Now another state has seen fit to reject second-rate verse. Governor Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana vetoed a bill making "I Love My Louisiana" the official state poem. Apparently Blanco sought the help of the state's poet laureate Brenda Marie Osbey, who said of the poem by James Ellis Richardson, "It lacks an understanding of the rudiments of modern or contemporary poetry." Ouch. You can read it for yourself here.
Lest we forget Mr. Ott. Having failed with his Mississippi poem, he did manage to get another one of his verses, "I Am Louisiana," recognized as the state of Louisiana's official Cajun poem. Watch out Alabama. I'm sure Mr. Ott has "I Am Alabama" rattling around in his head just ready to be your state poem.
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