ALT Portrait of the Artist I was writing this poem about a sustainable arts ecosystem when another writer asked me to blurb her book. I was writing this poem when my department chair called to brainstorm student recruitment. I was writing this poem when the deadline approached for the fellowship application. I was writing this poem when more students needed letters of recommendation. I was writing this poem when a few editors said, please send us a bio statement, please provide a project description, please fill out the tax form, please request blurbs, please post to promote the work. I was writing this poem about a sustainable arts ecosystem when it was time to submit poems for their consideration. I was writing this poem when I was asked to meet with the organizer for an event, to write a review of a new anthology, to help curate a reading series. I was writing this poem about a sustainable arts ecosystem when I realized I had to prep for class, since I only get paid to teach.