Laurel On Her Head--Induction of a Poet

Friends gathered to celebrate the 75th birthday of Diane de Prima, the city's fifth designated poet laureate.
(A man who is a friend) noting that de Prima will not be sworn in officially until February, performed his own version of an inaugural ceremony for the crowd. His ritual specificied that the laureate use "all of your power to guard, honor and propagate poetry of all kinds for all people in all walks of life, and remind them to celebrate the world in all its mystery."
A lush and full laurel wreath was placed upon the head of the poet, whose right hand lay upon a volume of the collected works of John Keats, and who accepted the honor "in the name of all the poets and all the alchemists of all time."
A long list of fellow poets was read, including Catullus, Ezra Pound and Michael McClure who was the city's fourth poet laureate. . . A slight breeze wafted through the studio, as poetry lovers found their natural post-ceremony affinity: Some hovered over a bountiful display of food, . . . others were at the windows, admiring the parade of antique cars. . .parked on Mission Street.
"There is no season that is not a season of song," the honoree had said in the ceremony. It was a great day for poetry.
.
--from newspaper columnist, Leah Garchik on Thursday August 13, 2009