Is There Poetry in my Home Town?

So I'm back in Michigan, directing a play in the town where I was born. I miss the mountains and the solitude and shooting 8-Ball at the Owl, but it's been interesting returning to some of the places of my childhood.

I drive down a street in my old neighborhood and memories come flooding from every porch and stoop. I step into a corner store and see myself buying penny candy with my birthday money, feeling rich. One may think that all of this would prove fertile ground for poetry; but, so far, nothing. The only thing I've written since being here is a piece that takes place in Kalamazoo.

I was there for a reading recently. A really wonderful night. Great crowd, reception, free beer, good dinner with friends. Caught up with old poet comrades; and met the subject of the one thing I've written since I've been back in my hometown. Or, started to write, that is. Haven't found the ending yet.

Anyway, the point of this is simply to ask: "What the hell?" Where's the flood of words to go with the flood of nostalgia? Maybe I left my writing soul back in the mountains, and am left to flounder here with the other six souls that bounce about within the walls of this morbid boil.

Time to shuffle off.

Interviewed on "Destination Out"

Mike Johnston, host of the great experimental jazz program "Destination Out" on WCMU Public Radio and bassist for Faruq Z. Bey & The Northwoods Improvisers, called me the other day for an interview and to have me read some poetry for his show.

The interview will air as part of his next broadcast, Sunday, November 16; 11:00 pm (Eastern Time).

If you are in mid- or northern Michigan or the Algoma District of Ontario, you can tune in on one of these stations:

89.5 Mt. Pleasant
90.1 Bay City
91.7 Alpena
95.7 Oscoda
96.9 Standish
98.3 Sault Ste. Marie
103.9 Harbor Springs

Otherwise, you can listen to it online here: http://wcmu.org/radio/listenlivepage.html

We discuss the link between jazz and poetry, current politics, and I read several pieces from both The Moon Cracks Open: A Field Guide to the Birds and Jihad bil Qalam: To Strive by Means of the Pen.