Oregon Poets: Clemens Starck constructs poetry from life
I first met Clemens Starck about three years ago at a Last Friday Poetry Group reading at the Book Bin in downtown Salem. He was there as the featured poet. I was there because I was interested in hearing the poetry of an educated working man seeking knowledge through scholarship and finding wisdom in everyday life.
He appeared as a working man would: in jeans and checkered shirt, boots, ball cap shading his eyes. His hands showed evidence of hammering, using wrenches and moving equipment and materials. His face had the weathered appearance of someone who has spent time outside. His eyes engaged, but otherwise, he seemed to look far away, or perhaps inward, maybe both.
That evening, he read several selections from his books of poetry, including “Journeyman’s Wages,” an Oregon Book Award Winner at its publication in 1996, “Studying Russian on Company Time” (1999), “China Basin” (2002), “Traveling Incognito” (2003) and “Rembrandt Chainsaw” (2011). He also has released two CDs of his poetry accompanied by instrumental music, “Looking for Parts” (2008) and “Getting it Straight” (2013).
Library summer reading clubs begin June 7
As he read, I recalled experiences I had when working in construction and mills. It was poetry almost like conversation in the break room but transcending the daily news and getting to the meaning of things, the rhythm of machines, the brevity of life, the value of dreams.
Starck retired as a carpenter from Facilities Services at Oregon State University in 2005, but he continues to work with his hands, to read widely and to find inspiration for poetry. In his latest book, “Old Dogs, New Tricks” (Oblio Press, Summit, Oregon, 2016), he continues his quest, exploring memories, relationships, aging and love. For this small volume, he selects poems that lay foundations, raise questions, probe decision points, search for resolutions and clarifications, and ask further questions.
Poetry collection follows Oregon poets
He begins “Old Dogs, New Tricks” with a lament about having been “side-tracked” by adventure on the way to studying Sanskrit: “At 72, still nursing hopes / of someday living the life of a scholar, / I’m in the garage / working on my pickup again.” He then takes us on a short journey through poems reviewing his life and relationships. In the end, he reveals a “derailment” caused by love and explores the power of this feeling late in life.
Starck will return to the Book Bin in downtown Salem for a reading at 7 p.m. Friday, June 24.
This article by Mike Shuler, mikeshuler18@gmail.com, is one of a monthly series by members of the Mid-Valley Poetry Society onwork by Oregon poets, past and present. For information on other MVPS activities, go to facebook.com/midvalleypoetrysociety.