Eric Hartley: A poetic break from sound bites

When was the last time you read a poem?

I happened to ask myself that the other day when a slim volume of poetry caught my eye on the new books shelf at a library. I couldn't remember the last time I'd read one poem, let alone a book of them, so I picked it up. Somehow, though, I haven't found much time to read it yet.

So I was curious when I heard Gov. Martin O'Malley was naming a committee to pick the next state poet laureate. How many people even know or care that Maryland has a poet laureate? How many Marylanders read poetry?

There was excitement at the announcement Thursday at St. John's College...