Full name: Hugh Martin
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Astrological sign: Capricorn
Hobbies: Basketball, watching movies, traveling, writing
Favorite quote: “No ideas but in things.” (William Carlos Williams)
Favorite authors: Yusef Komunyakaa, Bruce Weigl, Muriel Rukeyser
Professor and poet Hugh Martin sat down for an interview with HC, in addition to guest speaking at a meeting! Photo via http://www.hugh-martin.com.
Q&A
How long have you been working at Gettysburg College? “I’ve been working here for about two/three years.”
Can you talk a little bit about your service in the military? “I was in the military for six years in the reserves. It was four months before 9/11 when I joined. I went into the military because I was a bad high school student; I was bored with the idea of going to college; I wanted to travel and learn basic training. The worst thing that I saw was children left behind in Iraq with no families because they had no refugee status. I guess I started writing seriously when I was 21. I wrote because, when you come back, everyone has a million questions and you could never give them a complete answer or an answer that does justice. So, through poetry, I’m able to capture certain complexities.”
What advice do you have for aspiring writers? “Read a lot. Write a lot.”
Describe your perfect day. “I get up, do work and write, revise and polish, and read all in the morning. Maybe some basketball in the afternoon. Nothing special.”
What is your favorite memory as a professor? “My favorite memory as a professor is seeing when students improve and try new stuff and grow.”
Was The Stick Soldiers difficult to write? “Yes, in a way. I had hundreds of poems about soldiers in the war and about America. I captured what happened through the help of friends and other authors to try to narrow it down to the poems that fit best. I honestly wish I left more out. I would rewrite them all if I could.