The Lutheran Surrealist posted these questions he found over at Silliman’s blog. Like we’re all supposed to answer.
Here goes:
1. What is the first poem you ever loved? Why?
I have loved only one poem: COMPOSED A FEW MILES ABOVE TINTERN ABBEY, ON REVISITING THE BANKS OF THE WYE DURING A TOUR. JULY 13, 1798
Wm. Wordsworth.
I want it read at my funeral.
2. What is something / someone non-“literary” you read which may surprise your peers / colleagues? Why do you read it / them?
The Week. It’s brilliant, concise, no advertisements.
3. How important is philosophy to your writing? Why?
That’s hard to say. So much of writing is contingent on the understanding of the reader. So you should really ask the reader of my writing that question.
4. Who are some of your favorite non-Anglo-American writers? Why?
Octavio Paz. His poetry rose above the latino/white culture in California/Mexico.
5. Do you read a lot of poetry? If so, how important is it to your writing
yes, I read a lot of poetry. But not contemporary. I tend to lean towards structure. And contemporary poetry has little structure.
6. What is something which your peers / colleagues may assume you’ve read but haven’t? Why haven’t you?
I haven’t read a single piece by Steinbeck.
7. How would you explain what a poem is to a seven year old?
I wouldn’t. They speak in poetry.
8. Do you believe in a Role for the Poet? If so, how does it differ from the Role of the Citizen?
Poet is to citizen
as
Prophet is to ostrich
9. Word associations (the first word which comes to mind; be honest):
Lemon : pudding
Chiseled : marble
I : me
Of 
??
Form : whatever
That was a stupid word association test.
10. What is the relationship between the text and the body in your writing?
Is not the text the body of my writing? Another stupid question.
