DOUG DRAIME
(1943-2015)
"Love is the vehicle of our liberation."
FEATURED POEM:
"Walking In The Garden"
BY DOUG DRAIME
she said she could hear
marigolds weeping
when I listened I could
only hear her cry
but, I said, yes, I can hear
them too
Do you have a poem from Doug you would like to see as "The Poem Of The Week"?
*If so, please submit poem below!!
Reviews
Book Reviews
(Pedestrian Press 2017)
Review by Hosho McCreesh
"Doug Draime's final posthumous collection, a retrospective of his life's work, was well worth the wait. The sheer range in these poems is simply to marvel at, and show us a poet who was never restrained by style or convention, and one for whom no subject was above or beneath. A contemporary of Bukowski in the Los Angeles Poetry Scene of the late 1960s and 1970s, Doug was a poet's poet -- and this, finally, is the big, bold collection his work long deserved. For those who don't know Draime's work, I envy you...you're about to meet a mighty, and necessary talent."
(Interior Noise Press 2012)
Review by Michael Grover
"DOUG DRAIME is one of those writers that I wish I could make everybody read. The first poem I could remember of Doug's that really made an impression on me is The Suits Won't Go Away, and I was glad to find it in this collection, it still stands as one of his best. His poems make me laugh out loud, & even cry sometimes. Some poems in this book are just bursting with emotion like Zoot Sims Crying, or Someday I Will Write A Poem That Will Flood The Earth. Doug Draime's poems are real life stories of life in L.A. and various other places life has taken him. I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates poetry as he has many styles and there is something in here for everyone."
A "Poet's Poet"
Commonly referred to as a Poet's Poet, Doug Draime was born and raised in Vincennes, Indiana. He was a Poet, Short Story Writer, Playwright and author of sixteen collections of poetry. Doug’s first published works appeared in the 1960’s. His poems, short stories and plays continue to be published in a wide range of magazines, newspapers, collections, broadsides, and online. Draime began writing as a teenager, then moved to Chicago where he studied philosophy and creative writing at Chicago University, and theater at the Fine Arts Academy. A wartime draftee, he served 2 years in the US army infantry during the Vietnam War, becoming active in the anti-war movement when he moved to Los Angeles in the summer of 1967 after his discharge. He studied film at Los Angeles City College on the G.I. Bill, and briefly pursued a career as an actor before becoming an integral part of the Los Angeles literary community. In 1981 he re-located to Southern Oregon to raise his first son, Aaron. He was a recipient of PEN grants, in 1987, 1991 and 1992. While living in Oregon he met and married Carol Draime, and the two of them lived together until his death in 2015. He leaves behind his wife of 20 years, Carol and his sons, Aaron and Shawn. His poems can make you laugh & cry, and even help you think why.
Copyright 2022