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Something About Something: An Interview with Poet Shelly Taylor



There is something about Shelly Taylor.

Something.

Her friend, poet Gordon Massman says that as a person: "Shelly Taylor is the real deal, the genuine article; she stands, I believe, in contrast to materialist/literary/intellectual conformity which wants to enslave all peoples."

I like that. Not quite what I am looking for but a good starting place.

Shelly's friend and fellow writer, Mara Vahratian says about her: "I once told her she was like a real-life version of Jim Harrison's character Dalva (of the eponymous novel)--she's creative, resourceful, loving, and brave."

Vahration continues: "Shelly Taylor is an immensely determined and intelligent woman, and the spirit with which she lives her life is in no way divorced from the energy of her writing--I honestly can't think of her as a person without thinking of her writing at the same time. "

Yes, exactly. Determined. Intelligent. Spirit. Energy.

Those all come to mind. After first reading that quote, I told Shelly that those somethings are how I think of her.

But my opinion can come later.

Let's start at the beginning.

Shelly Taylor was born in the small town of Alma, Georgia (also the hometown of author Harry Crews, as she later notes in our interview) where she lived until the age of four, before moving with her family to nearby Douglas, specifically, Bridgetown, an unincorporated farm area outside of the city. It was here where she grew up, a self-described: "country girl, redneck girl" who was heavily influenced by her grandmother, Norma Jean Taylor.

More at the link:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Something...