I’ve
been reading Rich Orth’s poems since 2010 when we became acquainted on
Facebook. One of the first things I learned of his inspiration was his
affinity for nineteenth century poet Edgar Allen Poe and twentieth
century poet Jim Morrison. We discussed this inspiration at length both
times I interviewed him, and it’s my hope that readers received insight.
This makes sense looking back, as Poe and Morrison had a darkness
driving them to write and determination to be understood as human
beings. That internal conflict particularly revealed itself in Poe’s
writings. There doesn’t seem to have been an American Poet since
Morrison put pen to paper. If Rich should become a contender for the
title there is good reason for it. Orth’s work similarly resonates of a
contemporary beatnik of the 2010s who travels as he pleases, paying
nocturnal visits to graveyards and mausoleums and translating his
experiences into words like Poe. To this nameless, solitary wanderer,
the age of the beatnik never ended and there is still much to discover.
There is a huge difference between reading these poems online or in
print and hearing them recited in an audiobook. New York native Adam
Ginsberg is an acquaintance of Orth’s who elected to record spoken word
recital of his poems for this project. His interpretation of Orth’s
writings take then into new dimensions, giving new voice to the spirits
encountered during those nocturnal visits. It’s really not easy to
explain unless you’ve heard these recitals firsthand, but just hearing
them validates the longing, lamentation and frustration spawned by
Orth’s darkest thoughts that one can only fully appreciate by taking the
time to listen closely. -Dave Wolff
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