Poem? What poem?

Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory played coy when asked about Nikki Giovanni’s poem during the re-opening of Fountain Square on Saturday.

In the poem, Giovanni called Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell a “son of a bitch” and a “political whore jumping from bed to bed to see who will stroke my need.”

The Blackwell passage has stirred a lot of controversy, with some people defending Giovanni's right to free speech and others saying the celebration wasn't the right time or place for the comments.

When asked about “the poem,” Mallory responded: “Did Bootsy write a poem?” Funk master general Bootsy Collins, bass player extraordinaire in the 1970s band Funkadelic, performed during the celebration.

When asked about the Gioivanni poem, Mallory said: “I thought she painted me in an excellent light.”

The next reference in the poem after Blackwell goes like this:

“I am Mark Mallory
Talking to everyone
Walking with everyone
Listening to everyone
Leading by consensus, not fear.”

When asked if it was appropriate for Giovanni to use foul language, Mallory dodged.

“The bottom line for me is this: That was a day for celebration. It was a good day. I choose to reflect on the entire day and not just a couple of seconds in that day.”

Mallory said he had no idea before the poem was read that he was mentioned in it.