Photo by Vance Jacobs

Dana Gioia, outgoing chairman of the National Endowment of the Arts

A POEM BY
DANA GIOIA

Elegy with Surrealist Proverbs as Refrain

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No, whoever wins the election will make the appointment.

Do you think one party is more favorable for arts funding?

One of the real achievements of the last six years is that we’ve built bipartisan and bicameral support. The leadership in both parties now supports the Arts Endowment. In the last two years, for the first time in decades, no member of either party has spoken out against the NEA. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t some people who still dislike us, but they feel that our successes are so widely acknowledged that there would be no point in criticizing us.

Have you met with Senator McCain or Senator Obama?

I have met with hundreds of senators and congressmen, but I have deliberately not intruded in either campaign. I was flattered, however, to see Obama’s arts policy quote me.

Does McCain have an arts policy?

I’m not sure. Although invited, I did not attend either convention. I think the Endowment is best served by keeping out of electoral politics.

How will you spend, say, your first month after you leave?

I’ll walk out the door, take a deep breath, and get to work. I’m taking a half-time job with the Aspen Institute to run their arts and culture programs, and they’re eager for me to begin. But what I look forward to most is being alone in my home in Northern California, staring at a blank sheet of paper, and having an anxiety attack.

Writing is not all it’s cracked up to be.

People say, “Oh, it must be so much fun to write.” It really isn’t. Writing poetry is a very difficult thing to do well. But as with many difficult things, there’s a special satisfaction from using all of the gifts you have.

I look forward to being alone, being quiet, and waiting to see if the Muse still likes me. I’ve been a terrible suitor in the last six years. I hope she hasn’t deserted me for someone younger and better looking.