Here in Bloomington, Jenny Kander's radio programs The Linen of Words and The Poets Weave have attracted a devoted following, giving local poets a broader audience and a chance to literally put their poems in the air. We wanted to reach a community of readers as well as poets. Poetry's not easily found. Most newspapers and magazines don't publish it. We wanted to encourage people to ride the buses, too, to enhance the experience and make it more than just staring at the floor.
Wagers says the community's response was amazing.
Thirteen poems were chosen for each category and began appearing on Bloomington Transit buses in mid-March. I personally believe a lot of people are writing in a vacuum. They don't realize that there are sources for them, that they can get critiques from other people. They can come out, submit their work, and share their work. The contest has already had much of its intended impact.