Public Art Saint Paul ^[1] and Saint Paul’s Department of Public Works ^[2] are soliciting poems from the public to be permanently installed on Saint Paul sidewalks ^[3].

We are looking for short poems that provide a delightful moment of outdoor reading. Poems may be inspiring, funny, meaningful, cynical, mundane…anything appropriate for the general public.

You have to be a Saint Paul resident. 500-ish character limit. Up to 20 poems will be selected and winners get $150, their poem installed on a sidewalk, and also published in a book and on the project’s website. Deadline is April 25, 2008.

All the details are at Everyday Poems for City Sidewalk ^[3].

The kicker: $3 entry fee. So you have to actually mail that in. I don’t know who still writes checks these days, but the opportunity to have your work installed as public art — especially if you’re not an artist — is too good to pass up! Too bad I don’t live in Saint Paul. I’ll take a stab at it, though. Haiku is the perfect form for this one.

east of the river
quaint, classic, don’t forget we
have the capitol

I know y’all can do better.