Joe, reading poetry. Thinking about poetry, with poets. Being a human.

[Geechie]

3. Poetry loving cabinet members...

The poet & Rumi translator Coleman Barks spoke years ago about his experience traveling to Kabul as part of the first delegation to Afghanistan after the 9/11/2001 events. He said while the cabinet members were sitting around talking, somebody brought up a Rumi poem and another member, the secretary of Agriculture maybe, told him he thought he was misquoting a line. It turned into a long discussion of the poem in which everyone (all ministers knew the poem and could recite it) weighed in on their interpretation. It was like a dream to contemplate living in a society in which the leaders of your government ALL read and appreciate the poetry of your people. Still gives me a great feeling to know this is possible.