Axar.az presents an article "The Poetry Of Politics" by John Samuel Tieman.

Part 1, Into. To Civics

Readers of my column know of my interest in American politics. What you might not know is my long-standing interest in municipal politics. I have decided to run for City Council in my home, University City, Missouri, an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis. I live in the Second Ward.

My regular readers are also accustomed to seeing an essay. What follows is a diary. I've purposely left out the names of neighbors who are not well-known public figures.

Some folks know national politics, some state politics. But what does municipal democracy look and feel like? To answer that, I will chronicle each week my bid, win or lose, for a four-year term in office. This retired teacher still likes to teach – And learn! -- civics.

Today

I'm no Prince Hamlet, but of late my agonizing has been competitive, albeit on a vastly smaller scale. Now, I'm done with agonizing. I'm running for city council.

A friend says, ”But you're a poet! What are you doing running for office?” First, mine is a humble run for a local office. But – Pablo Neruda was a senator, Octavio Paz was an ambassador, and Ernesto Cardinal was a cabinet minister. Wallace Stevens, while not a politician per se, was vice president of Hartford Insurance. Archibald MacLeish was an Assistant Secretary Of State. Kofi Awoonor represented Ghana in the United Nations. Phillip Sidney and Thomas Wyatt were courtiers. Henry Howard was an advisor to Henry VIII, and lost his head for his trouble, or for his advice, or maybe his poetry. The Second Ward of University City is far from the Court Of St. James, but – why not a poet?

17 October 2023

A knock. I almost didn't answer the door. It was a Sunday, and I worried that someone wanted to know if I had enough Jesus in my life. (I have just the right amount.) She was walking away when I realized that she was a neighbor. I invited her in.

She represented a number of politically active women. Our councilwoman has decided not to run for re-election. My neighbor asked if I would be interested in that seat. I was profoundly honored. Election day is in April. In the meantime, I would have to file for the office, which in part requires getting fifty signatures on a petition.

I had numerous reservations. I spent three months thinking about this. I prayed. I read Plato, Thomas More, John Dewey, Martin Buber. I thought about duty. I made a deadline. My decision-making had three axes, one emotional, one rational, and the other about money.

My primary emotional concern is time. I will not take time from my marriage. The job can be extremely time-consuming, what with evening meetings and much more. That's to be expected. But I won't let it consume my marriage. I also worry about the time this could take from my writing. That said, I'm a retired teacher. Retirement gives me time.

On the more rational side, so to say, council is a natural progression. For two years, I co- chaired the Storm Water Task Force. I serve as the current President of the Municipal Commission On Arts And Letters. I've been president of the arts commission for five years. I was recently appointed to the Historic Preservation Commission. I am the President of the Barkley Square Neighborhood Association. I serve on the University City Parks Centennial Committee. On the state level, I served on the Literature Panel of the Missouri Arts Council. So, yes, moving from all that to the city council, it's a reasonable progression. All that and I just like public service.

Lastly, someone said a race like this could cost as much as $10,000. We can afford $10,000. But, as my wife said, “Is this really what we want to spend $10,000 on?”

So I agonized. Three months. That morning I was going to do it, and that evening I wasn't. I finally decided. I'll do it. I'll run for city council.

21 October 2023

University City is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis. I grew up here. The Second Ward is the central ward of U. City.

People say we're liberal, even leftist. One radio reporter called us “The People's Republic Of University City”. There's a yes and a no to that. Yes, our U. S. Representative, Cori Bush, is a socialist. No, you can see Trump signs here.

Demographically, the ward is truly diverse. Half of my neighbors are Black. Lots of immigrants. Washington University is our neighbor. Lots of students, lots of professors. It's gay-friendly. Our mayor is openly gay. It's generally middle class. Some older beautiful homes, a lot of post-war houses. Folks are house-proud. People make political choices about living here – it's where you choose to live if you're gay married, an immigrant, have a racially mixed marriage, if you're a Hasidic Jew. We live in eruv, a “magic schlepping circle” Calvin Trillin called it, an area that symbolically allows observant Jews to carry out otherwise prohibited activities on Shabbat, the Sabbath. The place is considered the Jewish neighborhood of St. Louis. That said, if you throw a rock, you'll hit a Catholic. People are well-read, informed, listen to the news, read the newspaper – and every third person thinks they could be on the council because every third person could if they had the time.

This is my home. I went to Christ The King Grade School, and the old Mercy High School here. Mercy no longer exists. Yes, I'm Catholic. But I speak conversational Jewish. My family has lived in St. Louis since 1828, in University City since 1928.

22 October 2023

Some run for office because they love their neighborhood. Some run for office because they want to control their neighbors. Me? I think that control is vastly overrated.

My metaphor for governance is family. I believe that leadership begins with listening and continues in dialogue.

I am at a meeting today, and a conversation goes like, “You need to contact Mr. Smith. I know his neighbor’s something-or-other-in-law, and you can contact Smith that way.” I'm thinking, “I’m not running for city council. I’m running for village elder.” And that's why I love this town.

Next Week: Part 2, Knocking On Doors