This Month’s Poet in Print: Erskine Carter

Where are you from & what brings you here?
I was born in England, raised in Canada, and have lived in the US since 1974.
How long have you lived here?
I have lived in the Quad Cities for 16 years.
Any political work in your family of origin?
No.
Do you think of yourself as an activist?
Yes.
How do you find the courage to be an activist?
I don’t see it as courageous, but merely as what I do as an educator and a human being who opposes violence and oppression.
List five words you would use to describe yourself.
Enthusiastic, open, tolerant, teachable, imperfect.
How would your parents describe you?
Unpredictable, lucky to be alive.
List five words your friends would use to describe you.
Dependable, funny, difficult, easygoing, compromising.
How would you describe your “family”?
Idiosyncratic.
How would you describe your “community”?
Diversified and unaware of its potential for goodness.
What are you most proud of?
My three daughters.
What gives you hope for the future?
My three daughters.
Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
Teaching English, writing poetry, and trying to make some sense of the world.
What organizations are you involved in?
Social Action Connection. I help organize and participate in peace activities.
How do you choose where to focus your involvement?
I choose to do what I can do best, and that is organizing, participating, and writing.
What is your profession?
I am a very satisfied English professor.