Hicok Reading A Hit

   Bob Hicok didn't start writing poetry until after a break-up at the age of twenty: a thank you to the girl who first broke his heart.

   Hicok is originally from Michigan, which is evident in much of his poetry, but now resides in Blackburn, Virginia, as an associate professor of English at Virginia Tech. He has only recently left the workforce(automotive die designer, computer systems) to become a full time writer and professor. 

    He has published five compilations of his work since 1995: The Legend of the Light, Plus Shipping, Animal Soul, Insomnia Diary and most recently, Clumsy Living. His books have received numerous awards, including ALA Booklist Notable Book of the Year (The Legend of the Light, 1995). He has been published in many well-known publications, including The New Yorker and The Best American Poetry.

     Hicok read his first poem, took a drink of water and announced, "I hate poetry readings." Hate them he may; the audience felt otherwise. When Hicok spoke, silence descended upon the room, interrupted only by titters during light moments in his pieces. 

    He read a total of twelve pieces, ranging from motifs of cancer to physics. The magic of his writing came through in his sprinkling of humor despite depressing topics. "BRCA1" delved in cancer and the option of testing for the gene that carries breast cancer. His friend, the inspiration for the poem, deemed the test "the best thing since the wet kiss." That line, along with Hicok's "hooray, but ouch," drew smiles around the room.

    There's something about Bob; he is nervous and confident all at once. During the space between poems, he seemed small, jittery almost, telling little jokes, poking fun at himself, admitting to "long columns of self-indulgence." But, when it came time to read again, when enough room for reflection had come and gone, Hicok became very focused, intent upon conveying his message in a crystal clear, never-wavering voice.

   Each of his poems was a story, laced with spell-binding drugs. Or maybe it was Hicok who was spell-binding. We'll never know for sure, the two are so closely intertwined that to separate them would destroy all traces of beauty; a thank you to the girl who first broke his heart.