Author: Tom Conroy
ISBN: 1598001094
The following interview was conducted by NORM GOLDMAN: Editor of Bookpleasures. CLICK TO VIEW Norm Goldman's Reviews
To read Norm's Review of Medicine and Magic Click Here:
Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of Bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest, Tom Conroy, who is a poet and author of Medicine & Magic.
Norm:
At what age did you first start writing poetry? How did you get the passion and desire to write poetry? Where did it come from?
Tom:
I started writing poetry in grammar school and have continued every since for the past 50 years. I read every book I could get my hands on and selected the authors and genres that excited me to read more. Schooling bored me and poetry and literature were the exciting parts of my day. Reflection upon what I had read made the active part of my life worthwhile and more meaningful, so it was a quick step from reading to writing.
Norm:
Why did you entitle your book of poetry “Medicine & Magic?”
Tom:
That is defined in the title poem. The medicine refers to the things that cure what pains us and fills the emptiness inside of us. The magic refers to the things that happen unexpectedly and have a good and nurturing effect upon our lives.
Norm:
Who do you think of when you are writing a poem?
Tom:
I keep a journal with me at all times and write down whatever ideas and images come into my mind. Later I collate and distill them and sometimes a poem comes out of it.
Norm:
How did the relationship to the places where you lived have an impact on your poetry, and do you believe you have an obligation to write about those places?
Tom:
Places in terms of an exact location, yes. By this I mean a particular mountain or alleyway or ,perhaps a courtyard. It depends upon the ambiance and by that I mean how nature, human interaction and story line come together. Cities, states; locations like that no. Poetry transcends the arbitrary divisions of government or civic control. For that reason good poetry is universal and can be shared across cultures and beliefs.
Norm:
Which poets influenced you and why?
Tom:
Gary Snyder taught me a lot about understanding cycles and a profound respect for the earth and nature. Bosho for his precise clarity and brevity of description. My brother, Jim, for his intense editing ability and keen analysis.
Norm:
Does poetry, by its very nature, place the poet outside the modern herd?
Tom:
Most definitely. Poets and those who appreciate poetry have their heads up as the herd runs head down. Every herd has one leader and all the others usually only view his backside as the herd moves forward. However, even a follower can lift his head and see what is going on and reflect upon it if he choses to do so.
Norm:
How do you feel about the way language is used in today’s world?
Tom:
In some ways I have great respect for the spontaneous creativity of language today. In other instances I regret the shortcuts being taken, such as the truncation of words and the use of symbols instead of words. Language has great power and can be used well. But if we don't value the meaning and power of words we become reduced to a verbal cult and soon are manipulated or "marketed" by others.
Norm:
What topics are important to write poetry about?
Tom:
Everything in life and that springs into the mind is worth writing poetry about. Each poet stresses certain topics or venues and that is part of what makes that poet different from another. There is nothing insignificant. Buson taught us to use the common place to escape the common place. This makes anything a worthy image or topic for poetry. It is how the image is developed and what effect it has on the reader of the poem that makes it important.
Norm:
Where do you write your poems?
Tom:
My journal is constantly with me so I write everywhere. My distilling and collating is most often done at my desk, but often enough it gets done while sitting next to a rock or on a patio chair. It doesn't matter where it happens so long as the mind is disciplined to focus on the images and ready to edit, edit, edit.
Norm:
What makes your poems different from other poets?
Tom:
If you want to talk about "voice" then I would say that my poems are economical in description. I greatly admire the ability of Haiku Poets to set a scene with only two or three words and then make a statement with one or two words.
Norm:
Do you write with a particular reader in mind?
Tom:
I write for myself mostly. I think that if I am true to the craftsmanship that I esteem, then the reader will respect that and be able to take the poem into themselves and make it come alive.
Norm:
How important is the look of a poem on a page?
Tom:
Poetry should be read out loud. It has to sound right most importantly. When the position of words on the page assist you in being able to read it in a cadence and with the inflection that most aptly portrays the images, then the look of the poem on the page has been important.
Norm:
Is there anything else you wish to add that we have not covered?
Tom:
People that don't have songs or poetry in their daily lives are getting close to being merely beasts of burden. Life is often unfair and dull. Songs and poetry can take the trivial and the annoying and through reflection or revelation bring meaning to the ordinary tasks and the difficult situations. They can also make the joyful occurrences eternal by putting them into a context with others and the rest of your life.
Thanks once again and good luck with Medicine & Magic.
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5-1-2006 at 4:08pm