Welcome back to New Recruits! This series was on a brief hiatus because I ran out of non-poet friends, but then I found Rob so now we’re back. If you’re new here, check out Episode 1 for more information about how this works.
I’ve offered poems from David Peter Clark’s Spell to quite a few New Recruits readers. There was that friend who almost read one but then he got too busy doing science stuff, and then there was Serena from Episode 22 who chose Pirie’s work over Clark’s:
Dave is one of my favourite poets. Just thought I’d throw that out there ’cause I called his poems “weird shit.” I mean it in the most loving of ways, Dave. So Rob didn’t get a choice. Rob is my friend Nancy’s (of Episode 11) boyfriend. I have met him maybe twice and both those times he was wearing a black trench coat, so I thought that the cover of Dave’s book would be perfect from him. Also he likes magic cards, which to me is just another way of saying Spell’s pages.
Here’s Rob reading “Good Grief Belief Pools”:
Q&A
What was your first impression of the poem?
I liked the word choices and alliteration, but it was very odd.
Which line of the poem do you like best?
“There’s an earnestness about novelty / crazy straws but not Sea World.”
Why?
It made me chuckle.
What does this poem make you think of?
The rich tapestry of the universe.
Have you encountered a poem like this before? Is this poem different from what you expected poetry to be like? If so, How?
I have read some of Emily’s poems before.
Do you have any questions for the poet?
What was your inspiration for this piece?
Rob Golick is a 28 year old nerd. He likes video games and magic cards.
Emily Izsak 