Post by Greener on Apr 3, 2009 4:19:42 GMT -5
Lifelong poet still enjoys sharing, learning
March 31, 2009
By Janis Moore
Post-Tribune correspondent
Randall Nicholas has worn many hats in his 61 years. He has been a teacher, a journalist, a free-lance writer. But his lifelong ardor has been writing poetry and sharing his poetry with others.
Nicholas said, "I can trace my initial inspiration and impetus to one English teacher in my junior high school year. She not only introduced me to poetry and the writing of poetry, she taught me to think."
In his senior year, his poem "The Mobiles" -- inspired by an Alexander Calder exhibit -- was published in the high school literary magazine. He said, "Art need not only be an assault against chaos, but should be a simulation or evocation of chaos."
Nicholas said he has been trying to understand himself all his life. It is a perpetual undertaking, and will never stop. "The point, as a poet, is self-understanding, trying to figure out who you are, where you're coming from, and then using that as your basis for writing."
A year ago Nicholas attended an open mike for poets at the Lubeznik Center for the Arts in Michigan City. "I heard some poems written by inmates of the Indiana State Prison. I thought I would like to meet some of these guys," he said. Through the Center's activities director, Edwin Shelton, he found out whom to contact at the prison about meeting with the poets.
Every Monday, 8 to 12 prison poets or as they call themselves, Poets Behind Bars, meet with Nicholas to read and discuss one another's poems. "These guys are all very smart and creative," he said. "Some are very good poets; some are coming along. Many are well-educated; many are very articulate."
Nicholas said he has been trying to take poetry beyond the therapeutic realm to a more professional level where the men can communicate with everyone. "My goal is to have them create poems that if an outsider was to read the poem, he or she would not be able to tell it was written by a prisoner."
The prisoners are a diverse group. They write about everything: politics, social issues, love, history, their own prison experience. "Many are spiritual," he said, "writing about God, salvation, and reaching a higher level of consciousness."
Does Nicholas enjoy meeting with the prison poets? "Mightily! It's my opportunity to meet with poets on a regular basis. Being able to meet with these guys does a lot for me. They inspire me."
Corasue and Randall, married in 1983, moved to Ogden Dunes in 2000. He found his "best venue yet," which is the Front Porch Music open stage in Valparaiso where he reads every Thursday. "Poetry can be just as effective or more so when spoken or performed on stage because it gets to people very directly. I can bring to that all my elocution skills to contact, communicate and excite people," he said.
Nicholas also shares his poetry on "Randall Reads" Monday, Wednesday, Friday on WVLP in Valparaiso
March 31, 2009
By Janis Moore
Post-Tribune correspondent
Randall Nicholas has worn many hats in his 61 years. He has been a teacher, a journalist, a free-lance writer. But his lifelong ardor has been writing poetry and sharing his poetry with others.
Nicholas said, "I can trace my initial inspiration and impetus to one English teacher in my junior high school year. She not only introduced me to poetry and the writing of poetry, she taught me to think."
In his senior year, his poem "The Mobiles" -- inspired by an Alexander Calder exhibit -- was published in the high school literary magazine. He said, "Art need not only be an assault against chaos, but should be a simulation or evocation of chaos."
Nicholas said he has been trying to understand himself all his life. It is a perpetual undertaking, and will never stop. "The point, as a poet, is self-understanding, trying to figure out who you are, where you're coming from, and then using that as your basis for writing."
A year ago Nicholas attended an open mike for poets at the Lubeznik Center for the Arts in Michigan City. "I heard some poems written by inmates of the Indiana State Prison. I thought I would like to meet some of these guys," he said. Through the Center's activities director, Edwin Shelton, he found out whom to contact at the prison about meeting with the poets.
Every Monday, 8 to 12 prison poets or as they call themselves, Poets Behind Bars, meet with Nicholas to read and discuss one another's poems. "These guys are all very smart and creative," he said. "Some are very good poets; some are coming along. Many are well-educated; many are very articulate."
Nicholas said he has been trying to take poetry beyond the therapeutic realm to a more professional level where the men can communicate with everyone. "My goal is to have them create poems that if an outsider was to read the poem, he or she would not be able to tell it was written by a prisoner."
The prisoners are a diverse group. They write about everything: politics, social issues, love, history, their own prison experience. "Many are spiritual," he said, "writing about God, salvation, and reaching a higher level of consciousness."
Does Nicholas enjoy meeting with the prison poets? "Mightily! It's my opportunity to meet with poets on a regular basis. Being able to meet with these guys does a lot for me. They inspire me."
Corasue and Randall, married in 1983, moved to Ogden Dunes in 2000. He found his "best venue yet," which is the Front Porch Music open stage in Valparaiso where he reads every Thursday. "Poetry can be just as effective or more so when spoken or performed on stage because it gets to people very directly. I can bring to that all my elocution skills to contact, communicate and excite people," he said.
Nicholas also shares his poetry on "Randall Reads" Monday, Wednesday, Friday on WVLP in Valparaiso