The first whackee is Stan Galloway, poet extraordinaire, professor of English, and non-answerer of questions. As the content manager of these interviews, I retain the right to respond when the whackee doesn't. This is an early warning for the next writers. If you don't answer, I will.
So, without further ado, let's see what Stan has to say about himself. And a disclaimer. I know Stan from book signings, writers symposia and the Virginia Writers Club.
BA: You have a very impressive resume. BA in English, MA in creative
writing, PhD in English. Your doctoral dissertation was on a science fiction
novel. So what the heck are you doing writing poetry?
SG: I have been writing for entertainment since elementary school. (Haven't we all?) When I
went to college, becoming a writer was my goal. But back in the 70s there were
far fewer programs for that and I was a passive learner back then. Happily, I
moved into a college career, which allowed me to write as well as teach. As
part of the academic rigors I wrote a substantial book of literary criticism, The Teenage Tarzan, which came out in 2010. It is a very good book, both as entertainment
and as education, for those who have an interest in (Humble, isn't he?) But when I finished
that book, I knew I needed to write something shorter. The draw of poetry was
strong for its brevity, first, but more importantly for its multi-layered
existence. As soon as I started writing it, I was quickly enamored with saying
(or implying) multiple things through a single word or phrase.
BA. Other than yourself, who’s your favorite
poet? Why?
SG: I give credit to Denise Levertov. In working on my doctorate, her
poetry was what drew me into thinking poetically. I had little desire to write poetry
at that point but studying her work taught me much about how a poem works
conceptually because her work is stripped of traditional form. I had to deal
with the work of the words themselves. (Wow! I would have guessed it was either Dante or Rod McKuen.)
BA. When
you were a child, what was your favorite toy? Do you still have it? Hmm. Stan chose not to answer this question. My guess is his favorite toy was a Barbie doll and that he still has it. I'm sure he wishes he hadn't played with it so much and that he has the original box. Such is live.
BA. Teachers teach. You list your profession
as “professor.” Tell us, what do you profess?
SG: I use the word because it is a label understood quickly to mean
“college teacher”; but my passion has less to do with telling listeners what
they should know or think and more to do with prodding my listeners to think
for themselves. That is true whether a class on Shakespeare or a poem I’ve
written. So, I profess the value of informed thinking, including logical
arguments, over repetition of shared data. This sometimes gets confusing
because, in the classroom, much of the time I’m filling up the “database” from
which the thinking must come. (What a concept, filling up the mental database for cognitive thinking. Hmm, with more people knew how to think.) With a poem, I assume a certain amount of
education on the part of the reader, or at least an intellectual curiosity that
will allow the reader to explore the puzzling parts of a poem.
BA: Why did you decide to become a writer? Has it brought you fame and
fortune? Satisfaction? Sore fingers from the keyboard?
SG: Being a writer has been second nature for me. I can’t point to a
time when I made a decision. I don’t think I have much fame, outside a few
poetry circles, and certainly no fortune, since I spend more money on
poetry-related activities than I make back from sales. (Want to bet Stan's on an all-Ramen diet?) I have had many moments
of satisfaction, from a warm comment given by a reader/listener to my own
personal satisfaction that I have expressed something meaningful in a creative
and accessible way. No sore fingers; I suppose I have sufficient exercise with
the keyboard that I’ve not reached the point of fatigue.
BA: Many people write poetry. Do you have
any recommendations on how they can get their work published?
SG: The first hurdle is
submission. I did not submit my work because it seemed a daunting task fraught
with vulnerability. The courage to be hurt by a rejection slip (or e-mail) was
the first requirement I had to engage. After that, I had to find places to submit.
I was fortunate because search engines found several sites that made finding
potential publishers easier. The key to wise submitting is
to read what kind of work is published at the place you want to submit. (My, my. Actually read what the pub publishes before sending off a poem? Why didn't I think of that?) If you
don’t already read from that source, then read an issue, online, in the
library, or a physical copy from a store. Send to the places that publish the
kinds of things you write.
BA: What are the last three books you read and why did you choose them?
SG: I am always reading. (If you're always reading, that means you aren't always writing.) Because my life seems to be broken into
increasingly smaller units, I read mostly poetry. I keep books everywhere – in
the car, beside my desk, in the bathroom, on the nightstand – so when I have a
few minutes, I read. With poetry there is less problem remembering where the
storyline has gone. I also keep a log of books I’ve completed. (Oooh, aren't we the anal one?) The last three
are: South Pole by Maria Teresa Ogliastri, Starship Tahiti by Brandon Lamson,
and Arguments with the Lake by Tanis Rideout. They are a good representation of my global interest
in poetry, in this case sequentially Venezuelan, American, Canadian.
Many thanks to Stan for being such a good sport.
Our next whacked out interview will be with Stephanie Sellers on August 30th.
