Robert Clark, one of the organizers of the Houston Poetry Fest and Chair of this event (held each October), also hosts Houston's "first friday" poetry reading series.

The Houston Poetry Fest is a weekend of celebrating the art of poetry and those who create it. Originally held at the University of St. Thomas, the Houston Poetry Fest is now held at the University of Houston-Downtown, One Main Street, overlooking the downtown skyline. Houston Poetry Fest 2003 is set for October 9, 10, 11, and 12. For further information, go to www.houstonpoetryfest.org.

The Houston "first friday" series of poetry readings, which began in 1975, has moved over the years from Bowles Auction House on West Gray to Hard Thymes Soup Kitchen, then the Orange Show, KPFT studios, DiverseWorks (when it was off Market Square), the Firehouse on lower Westheimer, to Inprint House, 1524 Sul Ross, across the street from the Menil in Houston's Museum District. Free and open to the public, always with an open reading after the featured poet, the readings open their doors at 8:30 p.m. on Friday nights, usually the first Friday of the month. For details, go to
www.inprint-inc.org.

HPRvw: Robert, you've been involved in the Houston Poetry Fest since 1985. Can you tell us how it all started?

A wonderful poet named Patricia Roberts called a meeting on the mezzanine of The Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Houston to discuss the launch of an annual poetry celebration, which would be a project of the Houston Center for the Humanities, and I, as coordinator of so many open readings around Houston, was included. Roberts, Rice University Professor Emeritus George Williams and Retired UH librarian Lorene Pouncey formed the nucleus of the organization. I think I was included to help publicize and reach out to existing organizations. Roberts was the Chair for the first few years. Later Chairs included Carla Caruthers, Milt McLeod and Andre de Korvin. When Houston Poetry Fest was incorporated as a non-profit, I was chosen as its President.

Houston Poetry Fest always includes formal readings with guest poets and the "Juried Poets", chosen by the blind jury method. Each year we print an anthology, with one poem by each Guest, Featured, or Juried Poet, which is available for sale at the event.

Off-campus readings, called "Poetry Out of Bounds" are open readings, usually late at night, held at venues around the city, a popular part of the festivals since 1999.

HPRvw: What would you say are the most significant changes in Houston Poetry Fest since 1985?

Our move from St. Thomas [University, located in Houston, Texas] to the University of Houston-Downtown has been very beneficial. Special thanks have to go to poet Lorenzo Thomas, Director of the Cultural Arts Center, and the English Department of the University of Houston-Downtown, which have become co-sponsors of the event, and give us tremendous support and help in bringing this off each year.

HPRvw: Robert, what's the funniest thing that's ever happened at one of your poetry readings?

Back in the seventies, before we started First Fridays, a group I belonged to called Poets Workshop held readings at The Old Quarter, a great little bar in a part of downtown that was in decline. One of the poets, Greg Miller, was reading a poem of his that was in the form of a dramatic dialogue. A drunk wandered in just as Greg read the line "You spoke first" and said "No, you were talking already when I walked in."

HPRvw: What do you enjoy most about poetry? Is it readings?

Yes, it is. Many poets emphasize getting into print. For me, hearing poets read their work aloud is the best experience.

HPRvw: We have a standard question we ask everyone we interview, so naturally we'd like to ask you: how vibrant is poetry in Houston?

There is a great deal of good work being written in the Houston area, and many different kinds. We saw and heard lots of performances and slam artists at last year's Houston Poetry Fest. Lots of performance poets. We also have seen a resurgence of highly structured poetry. There are as many kinds of poetry as foods.

HPRvw: What do you think are the main differences between the poetical "scene" in Houston and that of a place like New York?

Well, I certainly love New York. There are so many readings there each month they have to print them in small print on a legal size page. I especially respect the Neyorican Poets Cafe in the East Village. And of course the publishers are there, and the agents, but I prefer the pace down here.

HPRvw: Robert, can you tell us a few of your favorite Houston poets? We will allow you not to name them all.

Although they are both deceased, I would have to say Edgar Jones, founder of the fantastic Church of Sam, and Vassar Miller, whose religious poetry is really good. Both of them read: Edgar at First Fridays, and Vassar at the Houston Poetry Fest. As for the living, I tip my hat to Mark Doty, who teaches at the University of Houston, and John Gorman, who is on the faculty at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Or you can come to First Friday and hear for yourself!

HPRvw: And how about your favorite "non-Houston" poets?

If you mean of all time, I might single out Ezra Pound and Walt Whitman.

HPRvw: Which poets will be featured at this year's Houston Poetry Fest?

The current Texas State Poet Laureate Jack Myers is being invited as a Visiting Poet by the University of Houston-Downtown, and he will read at the Houston Poetry Fest on Friday, October 10. Our own Guest Poets are Sebha Sarwar, from Voices Breaking Boundaries, and Rich Levy, the Executive Director of Inprint, Inc.

We always invite back the poets who received the highest scores from the previous year's judges to be this year's Featured Poets; this year's are Craig Butterworth and Robert Wynne of Fort Worth.

At this time, the judges are still choosing this year's twenty or so Juried Poets, whose names will be posted on our website as soon as they are known.

HPRvw: Robert, thank you for your time and giving us the opportunity to interview you. We wish you good luck with this year's slate of "first friday"poetry readings, as well as the 2003 Houston Poetry Fest.

Thank you.