Saturday Linkenings: Poem Store
This is great. Jacqueline Suskin hangs a sign–Poem Store / Your Subject, Your Price–on the case of her typewriter, finds a public place, takes orders, and writes poems.
Read some here. Order yours here.
It reminds me of once about 15 years ago in Vancouver, BC. Gastown. A young guy stopped our group and asked to write a poem for us. We could pay him what we thought it was worth. He took a scrap of paper from the inside pocket of his battered suede jacket, scribbled with a wooden pencil for a couple of minutes, and read to us. I think we each gave him a loonie.
In retrospect, I should have paid him more and kept the paper.
Next payday I’m gonna send that little episode and a check to Jacqueline and see what she sends back. It won’t put any money in that Canadian fellow’s pocket, but it might bring the story full circle. And yes, of course I’ll post the outcome here.
I came across the Poem Store at 22 Words.
Belly up, it's A Poetry Feed. 
Check’s in the mail! Here’s the note I included:
Dear Jacqueline: I came across your website on my brother’s blog (twentytwowords.com) a couple of months ago. You reminded me of a young guy I ran into in Vancouver, BC, 15 years ago who wrote a poem for my wife and me–for whatever we decided to pay him. So, in honor of that memory, I’d like to commission a poem for $10 on the topic of “Suede Jacket.” Please use the enclosed stamp to send it to… etc. etc.
Thank you! Looking forward to it, Karsten