life and objects... to somehow try to transcend the
suffocating influence of materialism and
utilitarianism... ugliness... My reaction to that
statement is all over the place.. fragmented.... A
great love poet!? I can't comment. The fin de siecle?
Why not last week? (laughs) Or tomorrow? I might
have made a good press officer for the Paris Commune,
though, like Paul Verlaine.... The more I think about
this... those poets like Rossetti... sex and spirit..
and themes of memory... intense moments... exile and
isolation as we were saying ...... life as drama... a
sense of original sin, yes, all these are in my
work.... the mention of cosmetics... oh..well, I
didn't realise... I can see links... never have
before... all I can say, like Rimbaud said, "I could
never throw love out the window...".
B M S: So how does your work (as in job) impact upon
your work as a poet?
RZ: I work with people who've been damaged by drugs. I
don't see any material there for a poem. I've tried a
few times, but the results were uninteresting,
melodramatic.
B M S: Do you perform your poetry before live
audiences?
RZ: When I was about six, I was asked by a teacher to
read my favourite poem in front of the class. At the
time, in newspapaers and magazines, there was a
monochrome drawing of a tin of cat food and two
contented cats. And there was an accompanying rhyme
that went something like: "Kit - E - Kat is good for
cats/ it keeps them young and fit/ and it's true I'm
telling you/ your cat will really love it". There
were two more verses and I recited them all. I loved
it (the rhyme - I never tried the food). I was sent
home with a note to my parents complaining about their
son's attempt to subvert an English lesson. So far
I've turned down invitations to read my work in public
only because I haven't felt the need to perform. I
feel a compulsive need to write and that's what I do.
When a deep and irritating need to perform arises,
I'll do it. I'm not possessive about my work though.
Sometimes I imagine others performing it. Dylan,
he could do it.
B M S: What is your view of performance poetry, then?
RZ: Oh, this is... I think it's essential and
subversive. Subversive of the kind of literary mafia
The copyright of the article The near interview of Richard Z - Page 5 in Performance Poetry is owned by . Permission to republish The near interview of Richard Z - Page 5 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
7.
Oct 23, 2005 1:48 AM
Richard died today (Saturday 22) at around 11:35am in the Pasque Hospice in Luton UK. He collapsed on his way to work on 28 July 2005, and was two months later diagnosed with cancer of the pancre ...
-- posted by stoneking31
6.
Sep 28, 2001 9:15 AM
..letting zola speak may NOT benefit everyone...i've been asked by an irate pedant nameless out of charity... to correct a statement i made in the interview...guernsey never has been and never will be ...
-- posted by danceswithwinos
5.
Aug 30, 2001 3:18 AM
What moves through Richard Zola is geniune. The ideas that encircle his manifestations possess the Shakesperian-Shaman pyramids. We can hardly say more. There is no more room. Let Zola speak, let the ...
-- posted by Swishonvey
4.
Aug 1, 2001 6:24 PM
In response to message posted by danceswithwinos:
I can't express this as eloquently as Billy and Richard, but no, I don't thi ...
-- posted by poeticinspre
3.
Jul 6, 2001 10:25 PM
inga...heaney uses a fishing analogy and appears to suggest that to write poetry you have to be old...old men by a river bank spitting tobacco juice and understanding worms...he also refers to the mem ...
-- posted by danceswithwinos
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