Sad today, late September, while the sun is shining. Can't really believe Michael Gizzi has died. ??
A brotherly, friendly, funny writer, a startling poet I kept crossing paths with, over the centuries. In the spring of 1971 we took what was the first "writing class" for both of us. Traded a lot of poems. He was a poet who worked as a TREE SURGEON, which impressed me (the college freshman)...
10 yrs later, I'm delivering supplies to local food coop on Camp St., suddenly Michael Gizzi, of all people, jumps out of a car to say hello, girlfriend beside him...
7-8 yrs after that, we're sitting in on another class together, this one the special Ezra Pound centennial seminar, at Brown...
in the 90s, the 00s, I run into him at readings in Boston & Providence... abbraccio, handshakes... have a drink with him & Robert Creeley's widow, down at Tazza reading last spring... our mutual friend Jim Chapin & I do some blues beforehand... they seem to like the harmonica-playing...
recently (a few weeks ago) bumped into him again, out walking on Prospect St. (with her)... 40 yrs goes by...
seems too soon to leave now, Michael...
Beside the blaze of Michael's gift, let's remember that he helped people get published, and that he was a very fine teacher. --Peter Thompson
ReplyDelete