Poetry And The $100 Million Gift – A Year Later

Ruth Lily’s $100 million bequest to Poetry Magazine last year has resulted in nicer offices and financial security for the publication. But the magazine certainly hasn’t gone on a spending spree. “In some ways, there is an oil-and-water mix to poetry and money. Poets just are sort of ill at ease around a lot of money. This thing has been a shoestring operation for years. I don’t think anyone wants to get too fancy. You know, it tends to make me nervous to go out and buy a lamp or something.”