Life of a PnQ Poet - Larry Chamberlin

Life of a PnQ Poet allows members of PnQ to interview the poet of the fortnight. Please keep your questions respectful and if the PnQ poet wishes to abstain from any questions, remember they may do so without explanation. Have fun and ask away!

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One of the newer mods, but not the newest, let's welcome Larry Chamberlin to the stage! He's been around PnQ for 3-4 years and is the "Godfather" of Like the Flowing River. Most of us know him as a wise sage and law-smart lawyer.

Latest poem -

The Begger - etheree
by Larry Chamberlin The Godfather

Sit
hot sun
street corner
with sign in hand
begging for money
"homeless and disabled."
Passers by don't believe it
but what madness would lure him here
for the pittance stingy people give?
Despair becomes its own imprisonment.

Being a Lawyer in the Houston area, what is the #1 problem or complaint you encounter as an Attorney? Have you ever caught an Alligator or a Nutria? What Larry brings you too write Poetry, being a Scholored Man? Are you comfortable being called Godfather--Being deemed Supreme?

1- What have you learned or discovered throughout your journey as a lawyer?

2- Who are your favorite poets?

3- What are your favorite colors?

4- What are the things that inspire you the most?

5- Finally, when are you going to submit your entry in my contest :P ? (lol, kidding!)

What is your main driving force when you write?

Do you only write poetry or have you delved into the realm of prose?

What sort of lawyer are you?

I feel as though being a lawyer would be tough. Is it an overly stressful job?

Edward:
I am Board Certified in Family Law, so the biggest complaint I hear is how the other spouse is an immoral jerk of a mate who needs to be stomped into submission. That's the same story I hear from the opposing party. I just try to refocus the parents to ask "What needs to be done next for these kids?"

I've camped in the Brazos Bend with more than 200 alligators a stones throw away & did not lose a single girl (Indian Princess). Fed the nutria in our nearby park. Never tried to catch either one. For my outside fish tank I catch minnows & used to catch sail-fin mollies, all by hand net. Caught several snakes by hand, but only raised one (cotton mouth).

I've written poetry and prose since I can first remember. I have bankers boxes of poems from younger days. I have only put a smattering of them on here. I witness the world and record it for my own benefit. Often, I write from wonder; sometimes as an attempt to work things out in my mind.

Godfather is a joke, but I think it gives the youngsters a way to laugh at my persona and thereby makes me more approachable. There is no supreme, just collegial humor.

Abed:
1- What have you learned or discovered throughout your journey as a lawyer?
There are no answers, only workable solutions. Always focus on what needs to be done next.

2- Who are your favorite poets?
Varies drastically. Currently Walt Whitman, e. e. cummings, T. S. Elliot, Archibald MacLeish, Samuel Cooleridge, this page is not long enough

3- What are your favorite colors?
Start with infrared, continue to ultraviolet, pausing at kelly green

4- What are the things that inspire you the most?
Humans struggling to better their situations; people who take responsibility for their choices and act upon them

Jordan:
What is your main driving force when you write?
To understand, to clarify and to correct myself

Do you only write poetry or have you delved into the realm of prose?
I have written a screenplay for Girzone's "Joshua & the Children," but it will never be filmed. I have also written two theses and some presentations in legal psychology. Of course, a regular part of my profession includes brief writing.

What sort of lawyer are you?
A great one ;-)

I feel as though being a lawyer would be tough. Is it an overly stressful job?
I don't sleep on the night before a trial. Otherwise, I deal with stress by preparing my clients until they're sick of it. Usually I'm so wrapped up with helping them articulate their own story, that I don't have time to be stressed.
It also helps that my paralegal channels Mrs. Poole from the Hogans. She's so amazing it's scary.

What are your favorite poets/poetesses over her?
in general?

Do you have any children what are their names?

Do you enjoy your job?

What are your hobbies other than poetry??
You like swimming?
Do you play any sports?
What is your favorite food?
Do you like/have pets?
What are your fears/regrets/saddest or happiest memories?

Do you write/have written prose?
Do you edit your poetry much often?
Do you read philosophical books?

My kids are Michael, Katherine, Lauren & Jessica (who is still at home)

Love my job, love life: far better than the alternative

Camping, hiking, running, movies, travel, reading, swimming

Favorite food? You mean some people don't like EVERYTHING? If I had to choose, I'd say beef tips in wine sauce over rice with veggies on the side.

3 cats (Raja, Perla & Charli) & one golden retriever (Dragon)

I'm constantly confronted with episodes of happiness. They most often center on my wife, Rosaura, and my children. Much of the time they arise from chance encounters.

I'm older than most of my friends. The real life ones range from 20s to 50s, plus their kids. I've been either a scout leader, Indian Princess Guide or Swim Team Referee continuously for the past25 years.

I always edit, over & over. A good poem is rarely written - it is rewritten.

My favorite reads are historical essays and science fiction. Takes me to opposite ends of the continuum.

If I gave myself the chance my time would be spent on regrets, grief & self-doubt. That's a strong tendency I've wrestled with all my life. I've managed to cope by putting specifics into my poems and moving on. The most profoundly affecting was Jo Betty. I finally accepted you can't always be there.

I played bass guitar in a garage band in high school. We had a few gigs; dressed up Sgt. Pepper style (this was the 60s). My fovorite instruments to listen to are alto sax, electric guitar & piano.

Larry if you had to put the word "family" in a sentence, would would it be ?

Who's someone you won't ever forget, not family
member though, may be a writer, actor, historical character ? just someone you believe left an impact that needs time to fester!

what's a compliment you received in your life, that still could make you smile ?

The success or failure of any culture depends on the success of the family.

One person in particular was a college Prof in PoliSci, Fouad Mogghrabi, who encouraged my writing. He opened my eyes to multicultural viewpoints. He also showed a quietly disarming self-deprecation that helped me learn to accept my own shortcomings.

Best compliment that still makes me smile: camping with my son when he was five. Called him back for breakfast from playing with other kids at the park. He wolfed down the food and ran back to his buddies, then stopped, turned around & came all the way to our site and said: "Daddy, you make good breakfast!" Then he ran to play.

I always edit, over & over. A good poem is rarely written - it is rewritten.

^ You're awesome!XD
I told some people about that. They said that raw writes are the best. :p

BUT I usually edit them 1000 times!

AWWWWw Larry! @ your son's compliment, that's SO amazing!! :] really

And interesting, regardiing..the professor ! :)

Larry, that is very adorable about your son :)
Do you still make good breakfast?

Yes, and not just breakfast.

In fact cooking is a great passion of mine. As you can understand, with Rosaura gone four days at a time, Jessica grew up on my cooking. She has favorites that she asks for.

What's your favorite thing to make?

What about to eat?

Fettuccini carbonera which I overload with cream, butter, fresh diced garlic & real bacon. I also have a combination of spices that sets it apart. Now I make the dish but can only take a very small portion, even though it is also my favorite thing to eat.

Since I cannot eat the carbonera as much, I satisfy my craving with braised beef tips in port wine sauce over wild rice.

My daughters' favorite request is stuffed Portobelo mushrooms. I remove the stems & scrape the gills all the way to the flesh & chop all of them up finely; then mix them with Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, diced garlic, fine chopped corned beef & certain green spices; this mixture is stuffed into the caps, olive oil generously drizzled over each mushroom & then baked at 325F until done. I used to use prosciuto ham until Kat took up with Ameen, but it turns out the corned beef flavors it much better.

Mmmm... that makes me hungry. I also love carbonara AND stuffed mushrooms! I've never made the mushrooms with meat in them, though... that's interesting. Might have to try a new recipe!

@Hellon: I never paid attention to the main boards until this year. Rania AKA Ms. Sunshine, invited me to join her group, then talked me into entering Dixiedaisy's contest. That was my first foray into public exposure here.
That contest must have called your attention, since you came in ahead of me & you liked Hornblower on Deck.
As far as why I was chosen, I can only guess, but perhaps it's my good looks and charm. ;-}
perhaps it's also that I don't take offence easily? I don't really know. However, if there is anything changed it is that I'm writing less than I'd like. For that reason I've forced myself to join multiple contests. Otherwise, the job has carried much satisfaction. I hope I listen when members speak. If it seems otherwise, do a YAKI and shout in caps. I'm 61 after all & my hearing is not as it used to be.

@ Sibs
Before:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.86928275574.116881.518300574&type=1#!/photo.php?fbid=219219590574&set=a.86928275574.116881.518300574&type=1&theater
After:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.86928275574.116881.518300574&type=1#!/photo.php?fbid=219220480574&set=a.86928275574.116881.518300574&type=1&theater

"If it seems otherwise, do a YAKI and shout in caps."

YES, THAT IS CONTAGIOUS.

Did you check out my cooking photos?

Hahah OMG LARRY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am veryyyyyyy impressed with these photos, lmao I can't stop laughing (positive way) you are just a one in a million man!

Larry Larry Larry...
tell me about the most interesting cases you've handled ?

Larry, can I hire you as my personal chef? I'm afraid I can't pay you at the moment, but I'm sure your own personal satisfaction in bringing gourmet food to a young unemployed woman who loves to eat will be all the compensation you require.

Sibs: you realize I have 3 daughters in that role already?

Nana: the first one comes to mind is where a woman wanted to divorce her first husband and to make her CURRENT marriage valid.

I think you were an inspired choice for a mod. Cooking shows and recipe books are basically my porn, so thanks also for arousing me.

Favourite novels?
Biggest fear?
Do you miss Bob?
Bad habits?

Like asking my favorite food. It's all good.
BUT, Long term: Hemmingway, ESP Farewell & A Movable Feast; Asimov's robot-empire-foundation series; Hillerman's Navaho detectives, McCullough's Roman republic series; Forester's Hornblower series; & Saylor & Davis's Roman murder mysteries.

Harm to my children.

Yes

Playing Words-with-Friends

In requiem to a non-pc passion: may I recommend Hemingway's 'Death in the Afternoon.'

Catalonia, I understand your sensibilities, but I deplore your righteousness.

As interesting as Larry is, I should probably post up a new PnQ Poet soon. Tonight or tomorrow, folks.