Rediscovering Russell Atkins
From the book Russell Atkins: On the Life and Work of an American Master: A revered poet is found in an apartment in Cleveland:
“Mr. Atkins is nearing 90. He can’t walk easily anymore and is sometimes attended to by a young, businesslike, very quiet nurse. He is thin and small, with a swirl of fluffy, uncombed gray hair. He has a slightly high-pitched, gentle voice, a voice that strains a bit to be heard. Visitors surprise him and he seems a little perplexed and astonished that several American poets think highly of his work. When he learned that we were planning a book that would reprint a wide selection of his writing and also include several essays about his life and work, he said, ‘Why, who would want to read about me?'”
Author:
Source:
Belt Magazine
Published: Oct 7, 2013
Length: 13 minutes (3,340 words)