I first saw Craig Firsdon reading his poetry at the Brooklyn's Daily Grind on June 16, 2010. It was late in the evening, however, so he did not get a lot of time to read. He intrigued me and I wanted to hear more of his prose. I later discovered from an article by John Dorsey in the Toledo Free Press that he was also an artist and songwriter. I decided I should interview such a multi-faceted and talented young Toledoan and he graciously accepted my invitation.
Lorraine: How long have you been a poet?
Craig: Well, I have done a bit since I was 13 or 14 years old, mainly writing poetry about my disease and when asked to by disability related groups. I did some stuff just for me as well, but looking back I can definitely see how much my writing has grown.
My real push into writing poetry, you could say, was in 1997 when I was 17 years old. My grandfather passed away and he had meant a lot to me. My grandma asked me to write something for the funeral, which was read by the pastor. That was when I really started writing seriously. I saw how much others not only enjoyed it, but were affected by it as well and it made me want to share more.
Lorraine: Have you always lived in Toledo?
Craig: Yes, I have lived in Holland all of my life, just about 10 minutes, if that, from the Daily Grind actually.
Lorraine: What is your favorite style of poetry?
Craig: When it comes to reading I like everything. If it is written well and comes from the heart it doesn't matter if there is or isn't a rhythm or rhyme or if its haikus or freeverse. That is also why I really have no favorite poets, I read alot from Hughes, Blake, Frost to local current poets like Michael Grover, John Dorsey, Melvin Johnson, etc.
My own personal writing style is the same way. I think it is about 50/50 when it comes to rhyming vs. freeverse. Sometimes, alot of times actually, I just feel the rhyme and it comes out that way. I just let it flow and see what developes to be honest. After the piece is finished I only spell and grammar check, when its done its done. I find this way its more raw, from the soul, and more of a reflection of myself as well.
Lorraine: What disease do you have?
Craig; My main underlying condition is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. If you're not sure exactly what it is, it's like what older people get with a few differences. I got it just before turning 4 years old and it was systemic onset, which basically means for 6 or so months I had extremely high constant fevers and other flu-like symptoms along with severe pain and stiffness. The disease affects every bone and joint in my body including my neck, back, jaw, ribs, etc. It can also affect other body parts like organs, skin, etc. I've been in the hospital dozens of times. My joints are all worm to bone on bone and all are severely osteoporotic. I've had 4 joints replaced and a few other surgeries.
The worse and best part is the severe pain I'm in every second of the day. Yes, it's horrible and I am on a few opiate pain meds to take the edge off it all. But it does a lot for me too. They have given me a unique view and life experience that influences everything I do, especially writing. Not all of it is dark or negative though.
Lorraine: Does it inspire you to write about the painful aspects of the disease or is your poetry more an optimistic approach to dealing with it?
Craig: The pain is insight, hope and that spark. Most of my writing is affected by it one way or another, usually I write to deal with the pain and such. Sometimes it makes my poetry seem depressing and dark, but I always see them as a positive and try to relay that to the readers. If they see it as depressing then that is their view. See that's the beauty of poetry, we all get something different and personal from each piece.
Lorraine: Do you have any rituals you go through before you write?
Craig: Not really. I never hand write any. This is mainly because of my disability. I write when it comes to me, no matter where I am I will pull out my netbook, cell, iPod or get on my desktop and type it out as it comes. I rarely ever sit and think or try to force anything to come. If I do, it is usually not my best work.
Lorraine: Have you been published?
Craig: Between 1997 and 2001, I was published about a dozen times in small publications and magazines and a few anthologies, including Iliad Press and local newspapers. After having a lot of medical issues I began focusing on them and, somewhat, school and rarely sent anything out. Lately I've been sending about all of my new pieces out, so far with no success. I won't give up at all though.
Lorraine: What are you currently working on?
Craig: A few things actually. I write one to two new pieces a week for Simply Poetry at Brooklyn's Daily Grind where I read them and older ones with other local poets such as John Dorsey and Michael Grover. I'm also painting alot.
As I said I'm sending out poetry but I would really like, and hopefully will sometime, publish a book of my poetry. On the same note I recently have written a childrens story/picture book that is important to me. It deals with children with disabilities and the fact that they are the same as other children. In the story you learn of a boy that goes to school and does everything else other children do and not until the very end do you learn he's in a wheelchair. It was different writing for children but I used my own experiences and ability to write flowing rhyming poetry to come up with this project the way I did. Getting it out to children would be one of my dreams come true.
The Road
The road between pain and peace,
One littered with the potholes of anguish and struggle.
This road called life, traveled an infinite number of times,
Worn away by the feet of all of those before and still to come.
Walking, I remember every stone,
Every rounded, marbled piece of gravel.
The smallest, and most seemingly inconsequential, I remember the most
For they are the ones that gave me hope and propelled me
Out of the holes I fall in,
Over the hills of struggle
And toward our desired destination;
The freedoms to love unequivocally, hope immeasurably
And the strength and guidance
To lead even the unable through every road way journeyed
For it is the journey that makes us who we are;
More than human, more than soul.
We are the journey; we are every road we travel,
We are every person we meet; we are every stone and pebble,
Every blade of grass that is dispersed amongst the cracks we trip in.
Traveling toward the journey’s end looking inside
Our hearts beating in symphony with the tides,
Our souls blazing brighter than any supernova.
Both, heart and soul, knowing the truth
Of that which we are, always have been and always will be,
And that is simply:
We are everything; Past, present, future. We are
Whole.
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Comments
Inspiring and beautiful.
Excellent work, I really hope he gets more recognition thanks to you.
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