The Mayor Has a Hammer

Praise for The Mayor Has a Hammer…

Finally—a book that gets it. These poems capture the soul of local government with honesty, heart, and just the right amount of humor. If you’ve ever served your community—as an elected official or as staff—you’ll feel seen, understood, and proud. And if you haven’t, this collection offers a rare and moving window into what it’s really like to do this work: the quiet frustrations, the small triumphs, and the deep commitment that keeps us coming back.

~ Kate Colin, Mayor, City of San Rafael, California 

It’s rare in poetry to be privy to the minute particulars of a given profession. As the former city manager of one of the Bay Area’s lovelier cities, though one not without its civic problems, Jim Schutz acts as our Virgil through the not-so-divine comedy of running a municipality. His tone can be biting, whimsical, impassioned, and/or funny, but his disposition is always one of deep concern for “the commons,” and a profound appreciation of those who serve our local interests. As Jim says in his preface, these are really love poems to a work force too many take for granted. So, let him entertain you as he informs you. In these benighted times, maybe you’ll find yourself among “Those optimists that inhale conflict/and exhale unity.”

 ~ Thomas Centolella, author of Almost Human

Who knew local government could be poetry? Jim Schutz did! This gem of a book makes you feel the joy, pain, and sheer craziness that come with being a public servant in these turbulent times.

~ Kip Harkness, former Deputy City Manager, City of San Jose, California 

More than ever in these times, we need those who honor words for their precision and beauty. Jim Schutz has done just that. He has explored the craft of poetry and brought it into City Hall, into the offices of government workers who don’t get enough praise for their tireless work. We thank him for his world of “pensions, Ford Fusions, fluorescent lights, taxes, and gavels in the small chambers of democracy.”

~ Kathy Evans, author of Trespassers Welcome and Imagination Comes to Breakfast