We were lucky to catch up with Chris Bodor recently and have shared our conversation below.

Chris , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

During the early days of lockdown in April of 2020, I was contacted by a local St. Augustine musician named Ryan Bozeman. He records under the name “brotherwell,” Ryan has written and recorded music for the past twenty-five years. He has been involved in numerous musical projects.

Ryan asked me if I would help round up a dozen poets to collaborate on a series of songs about recovery. I wondered why he wanted to do a project on that theme. He told me that “Landing on the theme of recovery can be seen as a sign of the times.” He added “Whether it’s the trauma of COVID-19, the exhaustive forced hibernation of quarantine, the corrosive nature of our current political state, or any of the battle scars from lives well-lived, it seems as though we are all in some state of recovery.” Ryan said he was in his own state of recovery and realized that collaboration with other poets and artists was a healthy way to come out of his shell.

I related to the theme and it was appropriate for me to write about the subject of recovery. My last drink was in October of 2008. My life had become unmanageable, and I asked for help. I got the help I needed from a group of friends who were also seeking recovery. During COVID-19 insolation, Ryan turned one of my poems into a song. I was blown away with what he was able to do with my words. This project is very cathartic, and I think it speaks to many.”

Check out all of the songs from the re:cover project. A collaborative project that blends words of poets with the music of indie/alternative musician “brotherwell” from St. Augustine, Florida. All proceeds of this project will be donated to recovery-based charities.

album name is re:covery
band name is brotherwell
https://open.spotify.com/album/66LgRmGDlxGmIO84v9U3Uy?si=tlcNeNDASwqJmOoWPddaIQ

Chris, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a first generation American. I was born in 1967 in Connecticut to an English mother and a Hungarian father. After working for ten years in film production and audio-visual services in New York City, I moved to Florida in 2003. In Florida, I was asked to start up a monthly poetry reading in August of 2009 in St. Augustine. I have been named the Florida State Beat Poet Laureate by the National Beat Poetry Foundation.

More Info:
https://nationalbeatpoetryfoundation.org/

During the past three decade’s, my poems have appeared in many independent, small, and micro-press publications, such as the Lummox Journal, FM Quarterly, and Live Nude Poems. I am the Editor-In-Chief of the international literary journal A.C. PAPA (which stands of Ancient City Poets, Authors, Photographers, and Artists).

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Life is one ever changing channel. For the past ten years I have been waking up at five am. Seven days a week. I used to make coffee and say a prayer or two, on my knees, while the coffee was brewing. When the coffee was done brewing, my simple prayers would be over.

Now, for the last month, when I get up at five am, I pray my short prayer, and then meditate for 10 minutes with a meditation app. I have my first cup of coffee around nine or nine-thirty. I think differently. I feel more dreamy and dialed in to to my muse. I feel more creative and my prolific output backs up this statement.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

That is a tough question to answer. I am grateful to have the support of the St. John Cultural Council, which is the local government arts entity.

I am such a small entity and poetry in so inexpensive to produce that I am able to do great things will any dollars that are awarded to me. I have printed contributor copies of two anthologies with grant money. The greatest gift that any reader can do is buy a book by a local poet. Even if you do not like poetry, you can buy a book and give it to a friend or relative. Every book purchase is a thumbs up for an author and it provides an encouraging boost to a writer’s morale.   

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/poetplantpress
• Instagram: https://www.secure.instagram.com/poetplantpress/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poetplantpress/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrisbodor

Image Credits
self