Fame

I only learned about “Street Fare Journal “ after the fact.  It wasn’t as much a “publication,   like a book,  but rather 102 11x28" typeset posters/placards of opaque black with translucent white lettering, that were placed in the above seat advertising slots on elevated trains and busses.  It started in 1984 and ran to 1997 in major US Cities,"arguably the largest and most successful public art program in U.S. history, delivering striking combinations of literature and visual art to an estimated 15 million riders daily in 16 major cities.  This story involves one of the first ever put up.

In 1984 , travelling on a Chicago Transit bus on a cold morning, I saw this poem slotted in on the lighted advertising banner on my #56 bus.  I was immediately drawn to the message.  It was a poem entitled “Fame” by Evanston (Chicago collar city) poet John Dickson 1916- 2009.  I immediately knew I could not live without this poem in my life.  It was right by the rear exit door.  Upon leaving the bus, I purloined the placard slipping it out of the retaining slots and putting inside my coat by my chest like a protected treasure.  

That poem resided in my home bathroom translucent paneled ceiling for almost 25 years, until I moved. I only had to look up to read it.  Now, it is in the kitchen window of my farm home , where it catches the light right in front of me as I stand at the sink.  Getting a bit scratched in the 35 years I have had it, it still provides inspiration to me and remains my favorite poem ever.
Every fall I am even more reminded of its meaningful message.  I have included the original here along with a more attractive readable version from Dickson's (now out of print) volume

So , here is the full powerful little poem that I have lived with for so many years- "Fame"

Daniela Mercury

CLARÍN  The New York Times International Weekly
Brazil

Daniela Mercury, a hurricane of music and ideas
In addition to experimenting with new rhythms, the singer has emerged as one of President Jair Bolsonaro's most visible opponents

The Afro-Brazilian traditions of Salvador de Bahia are the root of the music of Daniela Mercury (Nathaniel Wood for The New York Times).

By JAMES GAVIN

Watching a show by singer and dancer Daniela Mercury, one of Brazil's top stars for almost 30 years, is to immerse yourself in a hyper energetic fantasy of her hometown, Salvador de Bahia, possibly the most African city outside of Africa. The stage is filled with dancers dressed in Afro-Brazilian costumes; the drummers sound the axé rhythms, the native percussive pop of Salvador that Mercury made famous.
Almost all the letters have messages against discrimination, tolerance, women's rights, maintaining internal strength. These feelings resonate more deeply than ever now that Brazil is going through one of the most divided times in its history in political matters.
"Brazilian society is fighting for democracy, fighting authoritarianism and fighting
 for education," said Mercury, 54. “We have to fight to defend nature, indigenous people, minorities. Human rights. It's very important".
To that end, Mercury is a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Children's Fund and a UN Equality Champion. In 2018, he helped lead a social media campaign, #EleNao (# ÉlNo), before the election of Brazil's far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro. Many of his followers boycotted her with her own hashtag, #ElaNao (#EllaNo).
Five years earlier, Mercury, who has an ex-husband and two children, declared herself a lesbian and married Malu Verçosa, a journalist. This year, the couple spoke in favor of gay rights at the National Congress in Brasilia. They finished their speech with a kiss.
Mercury retains tremendous support; Last year, about 1.5 million people saw her at the San Pablo Carnival and toured the United States this summer.
When I was a child in Salvador, Mercury was immersed in dance. He learned it from local black students, from candomblé practitioners, Afro-Brazilian ritualistic religion, and in dance classes.
Mercury was fascinated with the Afro blocos, drummers from the neighborhoods of Salvador with a social mindset. From them arose the axé, that fused the samba, the reggae and other African, Brazilian and Caribbean rhythms.
After directing his own band, he became a soloist. His second album, "O Canto da Cidade" ("The Song of the City") released in 1992, produced four number 1 Brazilian singles and presented the axé to a national audience.
Mercury is experimenting with purer musical forms. Its electropop sound has practically disappeared. On a tour in 2016, he performed his hits only with voice and acoustic guitar.
Meanwhile, it continues to cause controversy, sometimes unintentionally. Last December he released a video, "Black Panther Deusa" ("Black Panther Goddess"). Mercury sings about "The only race / the human race," and adds: "Brazil is black / And white is black / And the Indian is black." Then he sings: "The beauty and sounds of infinity are from Africa."
Weeks later, Larissa Luz, a young singer and black actress from Salvador, made accusations of cultural appropriation, announcing to her fans: “Who is black is black. Who is not, is not. This music is ours! ” People on the Internet labeled Mercury as the target of those statements, which Luz denied.
In all these conflicts, Mercury said, she strives to remain calm. "The problem is never just government, it's society," he said. "But we need to talk about this in an educated way, fight in a civilized way, anything else is brutality."