Russ Golata interviewed by Gopal Lahiri

Russ Golata

Healing Sounds

A symphony of birdsong starts the day

As early morning traffic jams the blues

Riffing with the stars, chasing night away

People better get on their dancing shoes

The softest music quells the savage beast

Wrapping its gentle touch around the ears

Merging heart and soul at the very least

Hearing magic that seems to last for years

The innocents of daytime moves along

As the waves dance upon the sandy beach

Giving new meaning to what is a song

Believing all the stars are within reach

Life’s music is fueled by many feelings

Let the rhythm float your heart to healing

Russ Golata was Born in Western New York, where he began his writing career as a prog rocker. High school English teacher encouraged his Lyric writing was pretty solid poetry. This led to many poetry readings and fellowship with Western New York Writers. 15 years ago he moved to Orlando Florida, and jumped into a writing community filled with gifted poets and writers. Russ led the Orlando Poetry Group and was a founding member of Poetry Ensemble of Orlando. Russ has released four books of poetry in the Fragments series, and has had his worked featured and edited three Books of Florida poet anthologies. A man of a few words, Russ opens his mind with usual brevity in this interview.

1.      Gopal Lahiri: How would you describe yourself and your work?

Russ Golata: A poet that looks at life through works with a sense of humor.

2.      Why do you write? Does it come naturally to you?

It is like a habit, it comes out and I have to

3.      How did your interest in poetry begin?

My Grandmother gave me Sandburg’s Harvest poems 9^th Birthday

4.      Do you believe that poetry is nothing but an echo of the life routine that are mirrored by the reality?

Possibly if it makes you laugh

5.      Have you any preferred style of poetry you like to write in?

Free verse—and Sonnets are awesome

6.      Who are your favorite poets? Tell us if any of them have influenced you.

Whitman just spun my head around, still does. Knowing Bob Creeley made me not only love his work but him as a person

7.      You are the founding member of Poetry Ensemble of Orlando besides hosting the monthly Orlando Poetry Group readings and also you are the member of Vista Writing Circle of Orange County. Share your experiences with us.

The writing community of Western New York Was my roots—very supportive. When I moved to Orlando it was a town exploding with talent. I hop some of my events nurtured other writers

8.      You are an accomplished poet in America. How do you approach poetry?

Poetry is a part of my heart—and can change the world

9.      Your fragments series of poems in the book ‘Fragments of chance’ are very unique. Can you elaborate on this?

I have been Lucky enough to tie all my books together through the Fragments title.. The latest Fragments of Other Worlds is my ideas on life after death and the possibility of other worlds

10.  What are your expectations for the year ahead? Any word of advice to young poets and writers who are trying to get their works noticed?

Keep at it—though it seems you are beating a drum nobody is listening to, people are listening

11.  What is your thought on social media impact in our life?

Social media is a wonderful tool to communicate with everyone

12.  Music is always very close to your heart. Do you think music and poetry can walk together?

Absolutely, My first poem was lyrics I wrote for my band

13.  If you could make a wish and have it come true what it would be?

World Peace

14.  What are you reading right now?

Louise Erdrich  “Future Home Of The Living God”  Great book so far

15.  What final words you would like to share with us?

Poetry is Life, all the rest is just window dressing       

Elvis in the Outer Space Bar

Elvis, (not the cowboy horse riding one)

More like the sequined Viva Las Vegas version,

And Jesus, (the son of God, Blah- Blah- Blah)

Walk into a bar and ask where Mohammed is?

The bartender, who looks just like Marlon Brando,

Because he is, says, “You’re tearing me apart.”

“Mohammed is on the wagon, haven’t seen him in forever.”

Buddha and John Smith meanwhile, are in the corner arguing

About additional commandments, and the price of oil.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson saunters up to the bar

Asking for a double helping of big time redemption.

John Lennon, who always bums cigarettes off Karl Marx,

Says, “Mankind has worked its way through time

And this is the best world we could imagine?”

All of this noise in the name of knowledge, that nobody knows

Paul the Apostle, standing between Jimi and JFK, sums it up,

‘‘We see things very dimly, as if looking through a stained glass window.”

It’s very worrisome that we fail to grasp any of this simple truth

But we have killed each other in the name of vague ideas

If there is nobody to blame, then we are all innocent

Confused, I look to Walt Whitman, who has the softest eyes, as he says,

“I hear and behold God in every object, but have no understanding at all.”

I stagger out of the bar, Walt’s words swimming in my head, knowing he nailed it

The crowd inside the bar gets louder and more violent

Because somebody has taught them they have the only truth

Russ Golata

Setu, March 2018