Thanks to all those who participated in our poet on a Lextran bus project. Poet Kristie Kachler read the piece that she composed during her journey. In the near future we will publish that on this site. For now here a few pictures of Kristie and a short video. 
The roar (song?) of a dozen idling buses was very loud, and though it was difficult to hear Kristie there was a certain kind of beauty to it all. Below is the poem that Kristie wrote on her journey which she also refers to as her "forty minute poem".
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Kristie Kachler
Know Your Onions
Bird-watching's the noblest hobby I know,
well - it's tied with the other noblest hobbies.
Knowing the names of things -
that matters, keeps them from being
just inessential Thing & Thing.
Along the skyway
everything's essential, has a name
and poets line the skyway
keeping giving making finding names
they say. Welcome to the poetry suburb.
Well. Good & Bad are inessential
anyway......................the yogis say so
and Right & Wrong
................................the economists say so.
I'd like to believe this
in the Best Possible Way
so as to not kick
a Nobel-winning money-man
so as to wear more deodorant -
Nice weather today, if sneaky
if yellow, thank goodness
the sky's such a show-off
and we're all kept warm on the bus
singing air brake, thank you, ping.
** Know Your Onions is a line from A.R. Ammon's amazing collection The Snow Poems. I also borrowed the word "skyway" from this source.
*Listen to Kristie on WUKY's Tonic with Kopana Terry: www.publicbroadcasting.net/wuky/.artsmain/article/13/397/1447972/Tonic/Road.Poet/
and a fragment from her reading......-------------------------------------------------------------------
LexTran Bus Ride = Poetry
Public reading with Kristie Kachler
Tuesday, December 30th, 2:30 pm
at Lexington Transit Center
200 E. Vine Street
*Listen to Kristie on WUKY's Tonic with Kopana Terry: www.publicbroadcasting.net/wuky/.artsmain/article/13/397/1447972/Tonic/Road.Poet/
We are pleased to announce the selection of Kristie Kachler as our bus riding poet. Kristie was selected from more than thirty wonderful submissions.Originally from Maysville, Kentucky, Kristie Kachler is a Zell Post-Graduate Fellow in poetry at the University of Michigan where she received her MFA and taught courses in composition and creative writing. She has won awards for her writing through the University of Michigan, Centre College, and the Academy of American Poets. Currently, she's preparing to teach a class about myth-making to elementary school students, and to run a mountain marathon.
Kristie will be riding and writing on the Richmond Road Route, followed by a public reading featuring work written during her bus journey as well as other poems she has written.*
Kristie's Help Wanted: Poet essay.....
Lots of people say lots of people don't like poetry. That's natural, and I couldn't care a lick. What bothers me is the probability that some people like poetry without knowing it. So I favor sneaky poetries. Reading poems in a bus station would be very sneaky indeed, and might present poetry in a more engaging form than the page, which can appear intimidating and exclusive. In this venue, I'd hope to laugh with unsuspecting poetry-likers, to feel less lonely with them. Besides, on buses, I usually only chatter, or I study Lithuanian.
sponsors:Transylvania University Writing Center
the Morris book shop
Fryman's Landing, boat landing, bait, tackle and snacks
Special thanks to Mason Colby
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Original post November 2008
Help Wanted: Poet
Poet to compose a work written during the course of one round-trip bus ride (from the Lexington Transit Center and back) on a LexTran bus route of his or her choice. The writer’s journey is to be followed immediately on return to the Transit Center by a short (ten-minutes at least) public reading. The poet will read the work written on the bus ride as well as any other work that she or he wishes to share.
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Honorarium: $50.00
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Location: Lexington, Kentucky
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To Apply: No more than 100 words on why you would like to compose a poem...etc, while riding public transportation and why you would like to share it with others
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Submissions/Information (by email only)ELandFgallery@yahoo.com
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Deadline: December 8, 2008 (event to occur by January 9, 2009)
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Sponsored By: Transylvania University Writing Center
http://www.transy.edu/academics/writing.htm
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Friends: Morris Book Shop www.morrisbookshop.com/
Fryman's Landing
boat rentals, bait, tackle, snacks and camping on Stoner Creek
near Paris, Kentucky
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Pick your route! LexTran: www.lextranonthemove.org/
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Visit Frymans Landing in Paris Kentucky for boat rentals, camping, bait, tackle, snacks, and more! Mention "ELandF small projects accelerator" and get 10% off live bait of your choice!