David J Bauman

Here’s a short poem for this day, written by a man who understands what labor is about. A fellow Pennsylvania native, Joseph Millar is known for his “blue-collar” poems which, unlike much contemporary free verse, have a rich music and rhythm all their own.  I just love how they sound, how they feel on the lips and resonate in the ear. I plan on reading “Love Pirates” soon!

Working as a fisherman and a telephone repairman did not prevent him from studying at Penn State (where I once worked and lived) and John Hopkins. You can read all about him on the Poetry Foundation, and explore more of his work on his own beautiful website.

Follow along with the text of the poem here.