OKC,OK. Local free-lance poet and unacknowledged legislator of the world Jonah Orobouros has declared Oklahoma a "Worker's Paradise." Mr. Orobouros has declared "Right to Work" null and void. "It's time our fair state has reclaimed its status as a Socialist State," said the unacknowledged legislator. Mr. Orobouros has also instituted the "Freedom to Marry" act, which recognizes the right of any two individuals of legal age, regardless of gender, to make a lifetime commitment to each other. Representative Orobouros has also contacted state religious leaders with a proposal that Woody Guthrie be named Oklahoma's patron saint.
In related news, Jonah has announced his intention to run against Jim Inhofe in the up-coming Congressional elections. "Who cares that I'm too late to file," Jonah asks, "The man is a major embarassment to our state and must be deposed by any means possible. Including poetic fiat."
Senator Inhofe was unavailable for comment.
Don't know how Gary Sullivan came up with the idea of the poet as "unacknowledged legislator" , but it's developed into a fun meme. Examples include (but are not limited to) Jonathan Mayhew (see entry dated 6.10.2004), Henry Gould , and Mikarrhea (I'm directing you to her old site because it is slightly more work-safe than her new site).
I gather the idea is to postulate a more desirable reality in the form of a news release, claiming oneself as an "unacknowledged legislator".
Now that I've jumped into the pool, I'd like to consider the source of this particular meme. A couple of things come to mind. One is William Blake's dictum, "Everything possible to be believ'd is an image of truth." The implications this statement has on a news release issued from a poetic alternate reality seem obvious.
The other thought is the notion of a poet's function. If nothing else, the poet seems called to see reality in new ways, in which case s/he redefines reality. Redefining reality effectively alters reality, and (in a sense) creates a new one.
Of course, it's entirely possible I've over-thought what is just a fun gag.
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