Interview #14: John Patrick Robbins

Interview # 14:  John Patrick Robbins      

Sy Albright interviews John Patrick Robbins --- poet, author, editor


His latest poetry release Smoking at the Gas Pumps

https://www.somapublishing.com/2018/11/smoking-at-gas-pumps.html

  

SA: First, let me congratulate you on the major E-book release of “Smoking at the Gas Pumps.” I was fortunate to get an advance peek at the manuscript. I was struck immediately on how well these poem/stories read and how the hard life you describe is beyond stereotypical expectations. Did any of this cross your mind when constructing poems of extraordinary content?

JPR: Honestly this book went together extremely quick. After the struggle I went through to get the first one finished which took several years. I was eager to get another one out there. I was fortunate this opportunity came about and challenged myself to complete this book on a very tight deadline. And believe the product is top notch. Sometimes it's good to challenge ourselves and in doing so it forced me to produce a much more pin point book. I am extremely proud of the what you read and I hope the hard work shows. It was a challenging yet extremely rewarding experience.

SA:  I don’t mean to strike a moral judgement but I noticed unlike other writers in this thematic vein (Ferlinghetti, Bukowski, Corso) you elect not to glorify alcohol, violence and the destruction it often brings to a life. A point in fact you admit it has consequences. Is this a conscious choice for artistic reasons?

JPR:  The truth is I do not attempt to do anything but display my own truths. My work is deeply personal and the fact I don’t hide my demons yet chose to embrace them takes courage. I never want to make it seem more than it is I live extremely hard its far from glamorous and never an act to entertain. On that same hand its clear my influences bleed through my work but I never want to be a carbon copy of them. I just write about my own road and hopefully it connects along the way .Anyone can make themselves look more than what they are I choose to not lie to the page .I have had far too many a friend die from the effects of chasing that good time. I will probably go out the same way as I battle my own addictions. It’s nothing to admire and something I find a bit stupid of others that try to portray something they are not. It’s not badge of honor to be a drunk or an asshole . Bukowski had a tremendous sense of humor and people took everything he said in a literal sense. But I do not believe he romanticized addiction he just chose not to go into details of its effects. And that there is the difference between what he did and I do. I live hard and never sugar coat anything. That can often be a double edged sword as with my work that really connects or turns you away.  Least either way when you read my work you are getting a totally unfiltered opinion once these days of PC bullshit is rare.

SA: There are story-poems (to borrow Rossi’s term) in this collection that make alcohol a character no less valid than a friend, a girl, a relative or an enemy. Is this a metaphor for the demon that shadows you or simply a fallback device when times get rough?

JPR:  Booze is a central element within my life.  I am definitely a bar person. I worked in several bars during my life so it’s no different than weights in a gym.  I definitely am a drinker I don’t hide it and I also don’t feel shame for being one. To me I never aspired to be a modern sort of writer .I am what I guess some would describe as an old soul. I prefer dressing in suits opposed to looking like a walking billboard for a sneaker company.  Unfortunately looking that way has been kidnapped by kids called hipsters. Hipsters I am definitely not. I admired classic writers how they lived and spoke to the page. I bust my ass and bleed for that page. The bottle is a constant in my life and in my work . Most call it a vice. But if you think about it sitting on your ass all day eating candy bars will kill you too. Nobody is immortal. I drink it’s just part of who I am. It shows in my work. I always blur the lines between what is fiction and what is reality. 

SA:  The emotional inner life of a writer can free or entangle their ability to write. Rossi told me he never experiences writer’s block but cannot write when his immediate family is sick. Another told me fatigue hampers her writing. And yet another says cannot write in daylight needs the quiet of night or loses the muse. What inside brings you to the esteemed table of able writers?

JPR:  I prefer to write in total silence. I find senseless noise infuriates me; a television to me is largely a waste of time. Usually for me I like to set a mood. I listen to music and mix a few drinks bourbon and coke I am not a beer drinker. I let the page write itself I don’t fight myself to me if you have to rewrite something a hundred times over then your fucking up. A river always moves forward and once you let yourself go with it that’s when it happens. And no I do not write every day. Largely I write in my head. I start with a title as at times I will have a really good title yet no write for months. The title of this book was a title I had for over a year. Then the book was finished and I was like perfect. So I guess I am a bit different in the  since its really done in my head before it ever hits the page. I hear some people say they have to get an idea down quick before they lose it. To me if it was worth anything it stays with you .And if you lose it then it wasn’t worth a damn to begin with.

SA:  The structural style of your writing is unlike any I have come across. You are also an editor of a slew of magazines. What have you taken into account when reviewing the work of dozens of other talented writers?

JPR:  When I look at work submitted I don’t consider the style or subject. Does it speak to me and does this connect on some basic level. You can have a degree but if your work doesn't speak to people, make them laugh or connect in some manner then it seems kind of pointless. I am very fortunate I get to read some very talented writers and consider some true friends. And that to me is a reward in itself. Also I look at something and have to think how it will speak to others. Editing is far different in the since to me. Running at least my mags is like being a good DJ you play to the crowd but every now and then you publish something that although might not appeal to everyone connects with that one person on a deep level. That’s my goal to publish and push writers I believe in. That’s why I run so many avenues and I hope that the writers understand it’s not done out of ego. I love words and deeply respect writers. I am just honored they let me in the room let alone dig what I do. 

SA:  What are your thoughts on the spoken word phenomena? Is there a such thing as a poem best written for paper versus a poem only suitable for an open and live audience?

JPR:  All poems are written no matter their destination are written for the page first. I do think when you are writing for spoken word that the work needs to be fast and is definitely different. A writer I respect Todd Cirillo. Does a lot of  spoken word his work is quick and to the point and I very much respect that. But that is also his style. I do not do readings due to my location and there simply is no scene near me. But if I were to do so the shorter for a reading in my opinion the better. The one reading I did taught me that. But I am far from an expert. I look at spoken word a bit differently than for publication. I write longer works usually. But in spoken word much like a fight it’s much better to pick you're shots and get the night over with quickly. They are two very different beasts but it all starts with the page. In that regard what works for a mic doesn't mean it will resonate the same for a publication. But no matter your opinion great writing is great writing. Some of us just prefer are isolation opposed to a stage. I myself write for the page not the microphone. But as you will notice in this book there are a few quick writes so definitely knowing as many spoken word people as I do. I believe that influence has rubbed off as well. Either way writing is writing. It takes true spine to bare your soul so everyone who puts words to the paper has my respect.

SA:  A writer once told me his inner voice calling him to write is no different than the mentally ill claiming they hear and see things no one else can. I’m not quite sure if he was waxing poetic or was trying to link creativity with mental duress. Do you have any opinions on artistic endeavors and the overactive imagination?

 JPR:  All writers are crazy in some manner. We find the need to bare our truths to the world through publication. We face endless rejection and criticism for little to no reward. Does that sound like something a normal person does to you? I know mental illness is just as much recurring theme within my own work. And I definitely have my issues. If not for writing I would probably be dead somewhere or certainly well on my way. It’s just part of who I am as a person.  I was told I could not do this from day one. And sometimes I believe that drove me more. I didn't break down upon being smacked to the pavement. I just got up and said.

"Fuck you I can !"

I think the best artist of any genre are all somewhat crazy. That’s what makes them interesting. And if they tell you they are normal in every sense. They are probably secretly a serial killer .

 SA:  Who past or present inspires your writing or makes you want to write more profoundly than before? 

JPR:  Presently I think there is no more prolific writer than my good friend Ryan Quinn Flanagan. His work ethic I deeply respect. My friend K.W. Peery for his drive and blunt honesty should also be mentioned. And James Dennis Casey IV his press Cajun Mutt Press has grown in leaps and bounds and this is due to his drive and fantastic ability as a writer. All three I consider brothers not simply friends. And my influences are a bit different as I draw from people who were successful at their respected genres. But I always admire people who bust their ass at this job. And one that can be a cruel mistress at times. Art in any form can be taxing upon your very soul. I admire the legendary pulp writer Robert E. Howard who wrote everything from Fantasy, Horror to Poetry.  Also in no particular order of course Bukowski that man must have influenced millions of writers and definitely pulled no punches. But the man who doesn't get the credit in my opinion and truly got me on this road is Richard Brautigan. Some books change you as a writer and his work deeply connected. I truly respect and am a fan of his work and his influence I hope that shows in my own work. There is a slew of writers I feel bad for not mentioning but of course Kerouac and Hemingway. And oddly enough I guess one that most people wouldn't guess is. Orson Wells whom to me was a truly mad genius and often met with roadblocks. I admire people who don’t play by the rules. I run multiple mags. Do podcasts. Write books and I am far from done as my ultimate goal is to produce a novel. So to say I am driven is understatement.