#17: Two Serious Gentlemen, Two Short Essays by Ron Padgett

Ron Padgett was the first poet I ever discovered who wasn’t a college professor romanticizing his imagined pain with nature metaphors. I picked Great Balls of Fire off the shelf at this crappy little record and bookstore here in Colorado Springs because the stars on the spine (which Joe Brainard designed) grabbed my eye. I opened it and read After the Broken Arm, and my life was changed forever.

I got to interview Ron for Log Magazine in 1997 at his apartment on 13th Street in New York City. I was so nervous I stayed up all night rereading all his books so I wouldn’t sound stupid. During the interview, a heavy rainstorm began while Ron was saying something about “a flood of words” when, out in the hallway of his apartment building, we heard a loud crashing noise. Ron ran to the door and there was a waterfall pouring down into the stairwell. After it was over, Ron’s wife Pat made us some cheese and boloney sandwiches. I felt like I had just played basketball with Michael Jordan.

Ron has his own author note in the back of his book too.

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