Tuesday GuestSpot...Brian from WaystationOne

The Brians, fifteen into one…………..

Finding interesting people on the bloggosphere is easy; comes to mind an image of a creepy kid wearing his sisters prom dress passed out drunk at his computer where for all the rest of the world he can be Serolophus a elderly scholar that critiques his readers and says lofty meaningless platitudes. This is not the case about our guest tonight at all...I "met" Brian by stumbling upon a blog that intrigued me, d'Verse Poets Pub...at first I thought for sure "Brian" had to be at the least fifteen people using that avatar because of the prolific nature of his writing and reading and responding clearly to each piece...but, after watching him closely, (sounds like stalking right, sadly no, but thanks for assuming) and then interacting with the many "Brians" I came to the realization that the fifteen was only one when I read him "speak" about helping a kid struggling with addiction, about coffee and cigarette smoke and obviously to a drunk like me he was talking with poetry about dragging that kid to a twelve step meeting...so I had to say hello and ask him about it privately...from that email I was amazed at who Brian actually was. I would like to welcome Brian from Waystationone to Wander without being lost, welcome Brian…

Brian, tell us. How you came to be standing outside of a twelve step meeting with that kid....

At the time I was counseling at risk kids. I had about 5 boys/young men that I met with each week, each one different. His escape was pills; mostly prescription, pain pills, ADHD meds, anything he could score. He also drank. He was an addict. Any time stress became too much he retreated to the blur. So I took him to meetings. 

I have taken kids to meetings for years on and off.

Ok, you have worn many hats; tell us about some of that

Ha. I dunno. Maybe I have not figured out what I want to do in life. That’s not true really. Each of the other things I have done is a facet of helping people and in particular kids. It’s when I had the biggest struggle in my own life. I have taught, counseled, pastured kids. I worked for Citibank once---actually did very well---sales and training. i have lost count of all the little jobs really, lol.. 

How did you come to be a poet?

A friend asked me to write a poem. I was a prose writer and she said i should try poetry. That was somewhere around 4 years ago and the rest is history.

Who was your favorite "Partridge family" member?

Whew. It’s been a while since I watched partridge family. Evidently there is an 80% chance I am Reuben, according to the quiz I just found.

Ha ha, just wanted something random

Who is your favorite author?

Not an easy question as I read very much. Erika Meitner is one i just recently fell in with. Also I am studying some alt lit poets right now that write outside of the box. Saul Williams is another.

Your favorite poet?

My dear friend Claudia Schoenfeld.

Who are you reading now and would like to mention

Tao Lin is quite interesting. Not for everyone. The stuff coming out of muumuuhouse is challenging the way I see poetry. Matthew Rohrer.

Would you share with us two or three of your pieces of work?

The verse/ /the music is one I recently posted. I like it. It has a more hip hop beat to it and it addresses love & poetry and how they entwine at times.

http://www.waystationone.com/2014/02/the-versethe-music.html

Human encompasses my interaction with the world around me. I meet all kinds of people and love to hear their stories.

http://www.waystationone.com/2010/12/as-world-blurs.html

Price tag populus is one of my social conscious pieces. i think we all have an investment to make in this world.

http://www.waystationone.com/2012/08/poetry-jam-price-tag-populus.html

Thanks for sharing those with us Brian! Now I  am going to really impose on Brian's generous nature...
Would you white an original piece for us your interview readers?

Ok, totally random poem I wrote in my notebook the other day.

"In the quiet moments, somewhere"

it's a rip off,

only 1 blue Jolly Ranchers

in a whole bag

my son

gets the first one in West Virginia

& by Pennsylvania, he's ready 

for another

'i think you got the only one.'

'no there is more.'

i dump the bag on the floor

between the front seats, one eye

on the road--they roll under seats

down the aisle to the back

of the van

'ah, there is one more,'

he is happy

& for the last 35 miles

the only sounds are the mountains

grumbling as the plates

move slowly by

or into each other.

Brian 

WaystationOne.blogspot.com

Coopyright 2/11/2014

As a teacher how did sandy hook impact you or your students?

We do more drills. I talk with my students about things. I think on some level they are blinded by an “it can not happen to me” belief. some get it and are emotionally attached. Maybe the benefit of youth is being able to move beyond these things better than us.

What is your most prized memories?

I had this great Thai food a couple months ago. Ok, that was an effort not to fall into my wedding day or the birth of my children. Its hard though because every day is so full of wonders to experience. 

Saddest moments?

Probably the hardest day was delivering the funeral for my mother in law and giving her permission to die in the hospital.

What else do you think we should know about yourself?

I have not worn underwear in 22 years, which always makes boxer/brief questions a little awkward. I would love to have a pet squirrel. I would not make him wear a leash, but if he sat on my shoulder periodically it would be nice.

I write. I live. I love. People invigorate me. I like music in all its flavors.

Thank you so much Brian…if you want to read more about Brian, his writing or the people he reads please visit him at WaystationOne.blogspot.com

Christopher McQueeney 2/11/2014    5:42 P.M.