[New-Poetry] Jim Simmerman

[Rsgwynn1 at cs.com]

In a message dated 7/1/2006 12:58:57 PM Central Standard Time, 
cervantes.james at gmail.com writes: 
> X-INFO: INVALID TO LINE
> On 7/1/06, Rsgwynn1 at cs.com <Rsgwynn1 at cs.com> wrote:
> >I just read on another list that Jim Simmerman has died.  I always liked 
> his
> >poetry.  Jim Cervantes, you knew him, didn't you?
> 
> Yes, since the mid-80s.  My daughter and grandkids live in Flagstaff,
> so I'd run into Jim up there quite often, and then professionally as
> part of the poetry &blues group that assembled for festivals and
> bookfairs.
> 
> I think this had been coming for a good while.  Last year, for the
> first time ever, Jim declined participating in our poetry &blues
> group at the Flagstaff festival and other events.  Then, he'd had two
> hip replacements and was facing yet another surgery.  He also stopped
> responding to e-mails. I wrote to him not long after the AWP in
> Austin, asking why he hadn't been there - he would have loved the
> "music capital" of Texas.
> 
> And, I've heard from a friend in Flagstaff that he'd recently broken
> up with a girlfriend in Tucson. Now, I've heard from my daughter in
> Flagstaff that he'd recently re-written his will, bought a gun, and
> gave away his dog, Bandit.  Clearly, he'd hit bottom and had his mind
> made up.  What a stark contrast to the guy with a great sense of
> humor, a great love for poetry, and a friend to many.
> 
> 
> -- Jim
> 
Very sad to hear, Jim.  I guess it took me by surprise because his poetry 
(what I'd read of it--one book and a dozen or so poems elsewhere) was so 
consistently upbeat and often very funny.  I remember one poem, something like 
"Against Deconstruction," that was just a hoot.  I always figured I'd run into him 
eventually, dammit.  I guess he was friends with Joe Duemer too since they 
edited a book together.

Sam
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