Here's a shocker: Pennsylvania is without a state poet.

Samuel Hazo, the commonwealth's one and only official bard, quietly resigned last year after holding the post since 1993.

Hazo says he received a letter from Gov. Ed Rendell's office in June 2003 suggesting that his "services were no longer needed.

"I wrote the governor back resigning, and I haven't heard a thing from the state since," said Hazo, founder of the International Poetry Forum.

"It was surprising considering the work Rendell did for the arts when he was mayor of Philadelphia," said Hazo, who added, "I won't lose any sleep over it."

Former Gov. Bob Casey appointed him to the position.

Hazo said he took no salary for the job, although Casey offered a stipend. "No poet should take money from the government," he believes. "This job didn't cost the state a thing."

Well, as they say in presidential politics, help is on the way. Melanie Simms, a senior at Shippensburg State University, is out to redress this oversight and has launched a drive to fill the post.

"We're doing everything we can to rally support for a state poet," she said. As founder of Shippensburg Poets, a university-funded group, Simms is bringing Hazo to campus Nov. 9 for a reading.

She's also sent Rendell an invitation to the reading and is planning a drive to get signatures on a petition to the state legislature.

"Amiri Baraka is helping by forwarding e-mails to people over the literary community," said Simms.

Baraka was the state poet of New Jersey until the legislature there abolished the post last year.

Simms has also solicited support from U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser and former laureate Rita Dove.

We'll monitor the Save Our State Poet campaign as it progresses.

Pennsylvania is one of 37 states with an official poet. There were 38, until the Garden State eliminated the job to get rid of the embarrassing Baraka.

The controversial poet refused to resign after his work "Somebody Blew Up America" came to light. The poem claimed President Bush and Israeli leaders knew of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in advance.

Oddly, he had been appointed to the two-year, $10,000 job in August 2002 after writing that poem, which apparently nobody in the governor's office read.

Then, when Gov. James McGreevey tried to fire Baraka (the former LeRoi Jones), he discovered he didn't have the authority, thus forcing the state legislature in June 2003 to abolish the post named for William Carlos Williams, the great Jersey poet.

Baraka never received his $10,000, either.

Next to leave Jersey state government will be McGreevey, who said he'll be resigning next month over a sex scandal.

Whether the Baraka controversy had anything to do with Pennsylvania's decision (both actions occurred in June) to vacate the post will never be known.

The action does raise the obvious question: Do we need a state poet?

The job is largely ceremonial; Hazo had no official duties, such as marking the opening of deer season, honoring lottery winners or recognizing a new Turnpike construction project with an original poem.

It's an honorary office intended to recognize a distinguished career rather than imposing a list of chores. The U.S. poet laureate has only one official duty -- setting up an annual reading at the Library of Congress.

Hazo has done more than write a series of poetry collections, teach the subject at Duquesne University and direct one of the most active and long-running poetry reading series in the country.

His Poets in the Schools and Poets in Person programs have introduced thousands of students and readers to poetry.

On his own, Hazo has been an ambassador for poetry in Pennsylvania for many years.

At this point, there's been no word from the governor on whether he'll issue a stay of execution for the state poet's job.

Rendell has bigger fish to fry right now, from campaigning for Democratic Party candidates to picking out slot machine models.

But, what's the big deal? The state is rich in poets; I'm sure there are even a few in Philadelphia who might qualify for the job.

A state poet enhances the commonwealth's reputation as a supporter of literature and culture. It's a no-brainer.