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

who 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