My love of Mark led me here originally - I was actually acquainted with your poetry before your musical output, odd as that is. That's a great playlist.
Back in the spring of 2008, I took advance poetry workshop with Michael Collier. This was during one of my last years at University of Maryland. He made an interesting point that still sticks with me to this day. We write our obsessions whether we realize it or not. I view passion as a driving force. Obsession is like the things that stick with you all the time. It comes out in the end product. I’ve looked through my own portfolio and see these themes.
Mark is definitely right that passion isn’t enough. It also begs the question - what happens when it feels like that force has weakened? Or the fire has died down? You mentioned how you and Amy are in the throes with songwriting at the moment. I find myself for the last handful of years walking around with ideas in my head and when I sit down to put something to paper, the language just isn’t there. It’s brutal. It makes me wonder if I’m too much in my head. I don’t know if the trauma of losing friends to all sorts of death is part of the issue or if life stressors have damaged my creativity, but the struggle is awkward. I don’t know if songwriting needs distance like poetry does (I’m sure you can enlighten me on that), but I once heard poetry as a writer is personal yet universal. It straddles the line between being in your head and not.
Thanks for sharing Mark’s words on obsession vs passion. A friend’s funeral was on the 22nd and he was obsessed with many aspects of life, most importantly his painting. Sometimes being on the outside of an obsession looking in is difficult, but it’s what made him who I loved. 🖤
eyes too spent yesterday (not to bee confused with yesterdays) with GPO in my own away. Nostalgia dusting for memories after the big bang of the never bled dry web is such a wondermoonfull kaleidoscope, what was it like to have nothing but cold dead headlines in your hand one wonders. Can imagine that people are more alive having been given new lives and paths forth and back. The doors were colder and unforgiving many decades ago. We're given such an opportunity to return to those who in their separation find it troublesome to return to us. But then they do now don't they, wꜵrm holes in the heart.
Thanks so very much for sharing. His music and poetry are loved beyond words. For those of us outside of LA, it feels really good to see visits to Mark from old friends.
My love of Mark led me here originally - I was actually acquainted with your poetry before your musical output, odd as that is. That's a great playlist.
Thank you for sharing that video. And the photos of Mark's gravestone. Your words are treasures.
I’ve had the opportunity to visit Marks’s headstone. It is beautiful.
Forever missed. Never forgotten.
The ending of the Las Vegas show video included with this post, says it all about yours and Mark's relationship. to me. It's both touching and loving.
Back in the spring of 2008, I took advance poetry workshop with Michael Collier. This was during one of my last years at University of Maryland. He made an interesting point that still sticks with me to this day. We write our obsessions whether we realize it or not. I view passion as a driving force. Obsession is like the things that stick with you all the time. It comes out in the end product. I’ve looked through my own portfolio and see these themes.
Mark is definitely right that passion isn’t enough. It also begs the question - what happens when it feels like that force has weakened? Or the fire has died down? You mentioned how you and Amy are in the throes with songwriting at the moment. I find myself for the last handful of years walking around with ideas in my head and when I sit down to put something to paper, the language just isn’t there. It’s brutal. It makes me wonder if I’m too much in my head. I don’t know if the trauma of losing friends to all sorts of death is part of the issue or if life stressors have damaged my creativity, but the struggle is awkward. I don’t know if songwriting needs distance like poetry does (I’m sure you can enlighten me on that), but I once heard poetry as a writer is personal yet universal. It straddles the line between being in your head and not.
And finally, thank you for this awesome playlist.
Thank you for sharing Mark's words. They are so true. These days only obsession can drive me to create.
Love this video so much, it's so full of love.
Thanks for sharing Mark’s words on obsession vs passion. A friend’s funeral was on the 22nd and he was obsessed with many aspects of life, most importantly his painting. Sometimes being on the outside of an obsession looking in is difficult, but it’s what made him who I loved. 🖤
eyes too spent yesterday (not to bee confused with yesterdays) with GPO in my own away. Nostalgia dusting for memories after the big bang of the never bled dry web is such a wondermoonfull kaleidoscope, what was it like to have nothing but cold dead headlines in your hand one wonders. Can imagine that people are more alive having been given new lives and paths forth and back. The doors were colder and unforgiving many decades ago. We're given such an opportunity to return to those who in their separation find it troublesome to return to us. But then they do now don't they, wꜵrm holes in the heart.
Thanks so very much for sharing. His music and poetry are loved beyond words. For those of us outside of LA, it feels really good to see visits to Mark from old friends.