Jason McCall is the next poet in Marsh Hawk Press' "Chapter One Series", which presents poets discussing their poetic starts. Forthcoming poets in this series include Dennis Nurkse, Burt Kimmelman, Barbara Novack. Eileen R. Tabios, Geoffrey O’Brien, Dan Morris and Sandy McIntosh. Already featured poets are Jane Hirshfield, Burt Kimmelman, Mary Mackey, Philip Lopate and Denise Duhamel.
Here's an excerpt from Jason's piece entitled "Who Are You?"
"If I say I started writing to find myself, then I’m only telling a half truth. Growing up, I had a clear identity. I knew who I was because of all the teachers, church members, and relatives who reminded me of who I was. I was Lindsey’s brother. And Shonda’s brother. And Tonya’s Brother. And Ethel’s boy. And Lindsey’s boy. I am the baby of my family. It’s fun to tell that to my young nieces and nephew and see them try to sort out how a grown man can still be a baby. But it wasn’t always a source of fun with me. Like the youngest member of many families, growing up, my existence was normally explained by a point of reference. When I was smart, I was smart just like my brother and sisters. When my dad got me job working at the hotel where he worked as a chef for his second job, the managers told me I laughed just like my dad. When I open my eyes, my wife tells me I have my mother’s eyes.
And like the youngest member of many families, I hated the constant comparison to my family members."
Go to link for more: https://marshhawkpress.org/jason-mccall-who-are-you/
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