[First appeared in Poetry Nook, Vol. 5.  --ed]

Many of you know Dave Read by his Twitter handle, Slym Being (@AsSlimAsImBeing). He is a talented poet, writing in a way that captures moments with often startling directness. This refreshingly direct, no-nonsense approach is reflected as well in his interview, which we had the honor of doing as we prepared this issue.
 
 
Where did you grow up? How did the local environment, your family, friends, and neighbors, influence your development?
 

[First appeared in Poetry Nook, Vol. 4.  --ed]

M.Kei is one of the most prominent tanka poets in modern English, having work appear in dozens of journals and collections. He is also a prolific editor, publishing the Atlas Poetica journal and numerous anthologies. Aside from publishing poetry, M. Kei has written several sea adventure novels, drawing on his experience working on ships and love of the sea. He can be followed on Twitter @kujakupoet or his website, AtlasPoetica.org. 

[First appeared in Poetry Nook, Vol. 3.  --ed]

[First appeared in Poetry Nook, Vol. 2. --ed]

[This first appeared in Poetry Nook, Vol. 1 --ed]

If you are not familiar with Geoffrey Hill, here is the link to his poetry nook page http://www.poetrynook.com/poet/geoffrey-hill Geoffrey Hill greatest living English poet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RObz4jbVO2Y Sir Geoffrey Hill, Professor of Poetry, in conversation with Dr Peter McDonald on W.B.

Read by the T.S. Eliot http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAO3QTU4PzY And by Anthony Hopkins http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLNsPhKlucY Clear example of how different readers give different color to a poem :) I suggest you read it yourself, for there is no better reader for your taste. http://www.poetrynook.com/poem/love-song-j-alfred-prufrock

http://www.poetrynook.com/poet/allen-ginsberg Ginsberg is best known for "Howl" a long poem about self-destruction. Check it out he had a very colorful life. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H45-s9EMYKg