We are thrilled to announce that Jack Remick will join us as our guest for this month’s episode on the Poetic Resurrection Podcast. He’s a poet and a writer and he recites his poems, Dying Dreams, Secret Disease and Lovdeth, from his poetry collection entitled Satori. They’re beautiful poems. I love this section from Dying Dreams: “Despite the cult of youth, we know this: flowers fade, we come to the closing of doors where we lie down naked for the dying of dreams.” Not only is he a talented poet and writer, but he also imparts his knowledge by offering a writing masterclass. Take the time to listen in to this episode, which promises to be both enjoyable and educational.
Jack Remick – Bio
I have been a college instructor, a grammar school teacher, a social worker, a community activist, a tunnel stiff, and a bus driver. My writing life began when I studied poetry at UC Berkeley with Thom Gunn. He taught me the essence of originality when he asked me why I was copying the style and substance of other poets–dead, of course. Jack, he said, when you inhabit another man’s universe, it will always be smaller than the one you create for yourself.
Throughout my career, I have taken on various roles such as a college instructor, grammar school teacher, social worker, community activist, tunnel worker, and even a bus driver. But my journey as a writer began at UC Berkeley where I studied poetry under the guidance of Thom Gunn. It was there that he taught me the importance of originality by challenging me to question why I was emulating the styles and ideas of other poets who were no longer living. Jack, he said, when you inhabit another man’s universe, it will always be smaller than the one you create for yourself.
After years of work, experimentation, and exploration of the writing world–which involved three trips to South America and their exposure to both Indigenous and Colonial lifestyles–I returned home carrying a load of understanding and desire that had not driven me before. Life in South America gave me three novels: No Century for Apologies, which won Honorable Mention for the Hoffer Grand Prize; Gabriela and The Widow, which was a finalist for the Book of the Year Award; as well as a Finalist for the Montaigne Medal and One Year in the Time of Violence, a novel that follows a Gringo living in the time of the Colombian Violencia with all its horror and political chaos.
My writing world expanded with each life experience until I was able to write a ground-breaking novel titled Citadel. Enraptured with fiction, I had ignored poetry until events unfolded, which led me to write Josie Delgado, a Poem of the Central Valley and Satori, Poems. With each publication, I understood more of Thom Gunn’s wisdom. I have learned the effectiveness of collaboration with other writers. Robert J. Ray and I co-wrote The Weekend Novelist Writes a Mystery a how-to that demystifies writing of the mystery.
You can find his published works here:
http://www.amazon.com./author/jackremick
In this January 2024 episode, I’ll discuss poetry and read Shade of Being.