Counselor Associate
David Lawton
- International Student Services
Inspiritive
A cycle of poems about the different way that artists can inspire, both with their art itself and the way they live their lives.
“This collection is a rarity – page-turner, can’t miss poetry. Elegies, homages, and one hell of an education in the author’s — and our own — rootedness in the accomplishments and frustrations of actors, musicians, poets and artists whose brushes with fame were as real and as raw as own anonymous struggles in life. Inside this book lies bad faith and gospel truth, sourmash whiskey, bennies and fate’s capricious betrayals – the twists and turns and all the rest that flesh is heir to. The most famous in the crowd get a deserved reprise, and we are glad of that. But it is for those that took a slap in the face — those for whom shit happened in life that took them out of the limelight — that David Lawton reserves his greatest tribute, and deserves the greatest praise. Through his delightful word-magic, he gives the unsung and the unfairly ignored another chance to step up into the bright lights and take their bows.”
-George Wallace, National Beat Poetry Foundation
How did you first come up with the idea for this work?
It is an ongoing process, on the open mic circuit.
What was your research process like?
Occasional fact checking.
How long did you work on this before it was published?
8 - 15 years.
Does this work relate to your role at FIT? If so, how?
Not too much.
What was your biggest challenge? What was most rewarding?
Leaving myself open to change.
Some of the humbling reviews and reactions I have gotten from readers.
Is there other information we should know?
I have been a performing artist all my adult life, so I read poems well.
Also the author of the poetry collection:
- At FIT since 2000