Taking the Plunge: Gary Newman - Taking the Poet's Path

  Vocations often have stereotypes attached that we hope hold true; we want our nurses to be caring, our postmen to be reliable, our politicians honest (OK, I know that’s a stretch, but we do). Being a poet is more a calling than a career. But a poet’s contribution is not about worldly things in our everyday lives. A poet’s contribution is all about “worldly” things, in the truest sense of the word.
          Gary Newman is an introspective man, an observer, an explorer of words, a poet.

Gary Newman

I am a poet, essayist and journalist.

I have won numerous awards for my journalism including three first place awards for best sports story in the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association annual contest and a first in the best business story category as well as numerous other second and third place awards for writing and photography.

As a journalist I came to question the trajectory of my own career and I realized I originally set out to be a poet. I decided to return to that original pure impulse.

I write to define the world I love. I mean the whole earth, but especially the natural world, landscape, animals, the world of science and ideas.

But mostly I write because I love the sound, rhythm and flow of words.

1. List five words that define you.

Optimist – Outdoorsman – Inquisitive – Proactive – Determined

2. What have you done that you are most proud of?

I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in

Paraguay

in 1969-70. I am most proud of learning Spanish and Guarani and getting to know men and women of a different culture.

I continued that habit when I was stationed in Berlin as a soldier. I learned a fair amount of German.

3. If you could change one thing in your past, what would it be?

I’ve always been disappointed that I didn’t finish learning German. And I’m disappointed that I have let my Spanish skills get rusty. Though I work on that.

4. On a personal level, what drives you crazy? What gives you joy?

Important people, a little humility should go before the hubris.

I’ve enjoyed climbing and hiking in different mountain ranges, but especially the Cascades. I also love to ride a bicycle.

5. Given no restrictions (i.e. money/physical capabilities) – what would you most like to do?

I would go vagabonding over the earth. South America, Africa, Asia,

Russia

. I’d write, take photos, learn languages and show people why they should love this planet and each other.