Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Farewell to My Friend Mark Tardi

I became friend with Mark Tardi in 2003 when I moved back to Chicago-we were introduced by another friend Kerri Sonnenberg. I will always be grateful to Kerri for knowing Mark.

Mark leaves today for Lodz, Poland to do a Fulbright and I will miss his insights very much.

Many poets are unable to downshift and be real human beings. Many poets are unable to be regular people and enjoy life at many levels. Mark, while an intellectual of the first order is also good for a great baseball talk or just a hang out Mark will be missed.

Mark's poetry is important but he has never been self-important which is refreshing in a poet. How many times have you had to sit through the self importance of a poet and his/her vision? So as Mark leaves Chicago we lose another poet in our midst.

Lodz's gain is Chicago's loss.

1 comment:

Mark said...

Many thanks Ray -- for everything. I do hope Traudi and you make it out this way next year! Zywiec and kielbasa is on me. ;)

/m