Other Craig A. Garner books include A Poetic Twist of Fate (2004)

Craig A. Garner  three books were published by Word Association Publishers (Tarentum, PA 15084)

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Garner’s latest book of Poetry is more out spoken

By Jessica Marlowe

Correspondent

The poetry of Craig Garner is a breath of fresh air. It is visionary and displays great compassion and insight for his community and its residents.

Garner, who is the poet laureate of the township of Irvington, has recently published his fifth collection of poems A Poetic Purpose to My Life. Garner’s body of work is very representative of his view of both the positive and negative in what he sees around him, as well as the brighter world to where he hopes it will all lead.  The messages he hopes to convey through his poems are, according to him, “not only descriptive, but prescriptive in terms of what needs to be said.”

His words express the ideals of one who has a genuine affinity and a strong concern for his world, its youth and its future.  In his most recent book, he is more outspoken about than in his earlier books.  The verses “tell it like it is” and Garner doesn’t sugarcoat what he has to say.  In some, his voice is quite stern, though it is never angry.  On the contrary his poems are sometime humorous.  One example “Pull Your Pants Up” is essentially a scolding given to a young man inconsiderate of others in that his fashionable falling down pants display too much of that which were designed to cover.

These poems also point to Garner’s concerns regarding the youth of today, as he indicates in “Be True To Yourself” and “To Be or Not To Be a Minority.”  I try to stress to them, he said of youth, “the importance of education in an increasingly technology-based world of which they should work hard to make themselves a part.”  He particularly hopes to instill in them the level of confidence necessary to pursue such goals. 

So what is his driving force?

“I think that I’m doing my part to provide a bit of direction” he said.  “People can’t go through life doing nothing and expect things to get better.  They must step up to the plate and make things happen, even if that is difficult for them.” Quoting from a Maya Angelou, he stated that, “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”

Referring to such poems as “Idol Worshipping” and “2007 and Still Trying to be Cool,” he explained his desire to cause people to see things from another point of view. “People are doing so many things that don’t help them grow, keep their families together, and sustain their communities,” he said. “I am asking them ‘Where is your focus?’ If you focus on “American Idol” or some reality show certainly you can’t focus on critical issues.”

Community is also the theme of  “Patronize Your People’s Business,” a poem inspired by a friend of his who at one time owned a store in his neighborhood. Garner said many of the local people who knew that store owner often asked for and expected to receive a discount.  When the storeowner did not agree to a discount many of those would be shoppers went else where and, eventually his store closed.”

Garner offered, “The problem is maintaining a community that is thriving and is self-sufficient.  Don’t go to another town or to the mall to buy the things you need when they are available here.  Money should come into a community and their circulating helping to sustain it so that it thrives; otherwise it will die.

When asked if he could accomplish any single thing with his poetry, what would it be, Garner replied “To give people hope and a reason to believe that they can make a difference and turn things around for the better.”

When asked if there is a common denominator, a binding tie, to his poems “Garner answered “It’s really all about the community and shedding light on issues that are being overlooked.”  Accolades for A Poetic Purpose to My Life and the insight of Poet Craig Garner.

Source:  Irvington Herald 01/10/2007

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Author Bio-Sketch

Craig Andrew Garner has been a resident of Irvington NJ for over twenty four years.  During this time he has been a community activist, president of the Park Place Block Association, former elected member of numerous boards and committees. He was appointed Irvington Poet Laureate in 2004 by the Honorable Wayne Smith, Mayor of the Township of Irvington.  He and his wife have received numerous awards in recognition of their community involvement, and support of political and education organizations.

Prior to coming to Irvington, Craig and his family resided in Newark NJ.  He is an honors graduate of West Side High School, Essex County College and Kean College which is now Kean University. He has worked for a Fortune 500 company over twenty four years as a Programmer, System Analyst, Data Architect, and Quality Assurance Manager.  While working in this corporate structure Craig began writing poetry as a therapeutic method of dealing with his environment and numerous issues.  But eventually he began writing poetry to express his concerns to students at numerous Career Fairs regarding the impact of the information technology revolution on their career choices.

Over the last twenty years he has self published four books which are Rhymes for Reasons I & II,  A Poetic Twist of Fate (2004), and most recently, A Poetic Quest for Faith [2005].  His experiences working in corporate America while maintaining his roots to his community provided him with a unique perspective of life that has laid the foundation for many of his poetic expressions.  However, his experiences during a tour of duty in the Air Force also molded many of his views.  He was stationed in Eglin, Air Force Base near Pensacola Florida for four years during the Viet Nam war and traveled throughout the South as one of the stars on the Eglin Base Basketball team.  The images and his experiences of the “Sixties” South has left impenetrable impressions on him that has influenced his writings.

Lastly, his re-education via attending seminars held by the First World Alliance in Harlem, NY and going back to college to take Black History courses solidified his understanding of his history.  This self knowledge led to the belief in himself and his people as a driving force in the universe that demands to not only make a difference in life but a sustaining impression in history itself.  This underlying strength plus the support of his wife and family has given Craig the inspiration to continue to write and have A Poetic Quest for Faith in mankind’s positive attributes.   Craig is married to Veleria Brown-Garner, who is a Math teacher for the Irvington Board of Education., has two daughters, two brothers, two sisters and three nieces.

Contact Information crggarner@cs.com / www.craigspoetryworld.com / 147 Park Place /  Irvington NJ07111 / 973 493 9578

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posted 20 November 2007 / update 11 January 2008