1. [identifying]
Who can be the poet for the State University of New York at Geneseo?
�A wishy-washy question. But, c'mon, who can be the ambitious
answer on a hillside campus shaped as our state? Who in the valley?
Is it one whose close friends are all White, or all Black,
or Asian, or Latino, or Indigenous?
Who never had a roommate of another socially
constructed race? Wasn't homosexual or homophobic?
Or Christian? Catholic? Jewish? Islamic? Buddhist?
A Jehovah Witness? A Mormon? A Wicken?
A die-hard Republican or a die-hard Marxist?
Had dyed hair or a very large afro or blond dreadlocks?
Had a disability? How about a transfer or exchange
or a back to school student? Or maybe a super senior (to the second power)?
A young parent? Upstater, downstater, or outstater? Lazy, messy, or clean?
How about a poet who hasn't resided on south side
or north side of campus? Off-campus or commuted?
Hasn't been to any of the cultural, political, activist, academic, religious,
artsy, or game-loving student meetings? A student council? A hall meeting?
Joined an advisory board to Campus Auxiliary, or to the college president?
How about a GOLD leadership workshop? Or the Greek RUSH?
Competed in the annual window painting, the lip-sync contest,
the talent show, the Homecoming Parade; Midnight Madness?
Embraced Multicultural Week; Siblings Weekend; Spring Fest;
Artist Fighting Aids; the progressive Tree of Life Festival?
How about any of the open mics on and off campus?
The cultural dinners? Ever rehearsed so hard for a cultural dinner's showcase
after spending long hours in the MacVittie kitchen?
Ever swing-danced or square-danced in the Union Ballroom or at Holcomb?
Played in the NCAA or represented your posse ("Whut-whut!") in Inter-mural?
Ever lost a game of ping-pong to a quirky Biology student from India,
or to a hard-hitting English professor from Brazil?
Knew people who hated them for their spiritual gifts?