"ASK ME, UH-HO-HO, ASK ME"

Today, we have a very special guest here on Bigmouth. Perhaps one of my very favorite things about him, other than the fact that he's very cool, and very kind, is that in order to Google him and come up with the right guy in your search, you must add the word "Hitler" after his name. No lie. You may know him from when he read at the Fixx Reading Series with Aaron Belz and Nick Ostdick a few weeks ago. Or, maybe you remember the very popular artwork he contributed to Pilcrow Lit Fest's "Rebuilt Books" event. Or maybe you have read some of his work, like the very, very funny book of poetry, Hitler's Mustache, which he wrote and designed (please watch this video of him discussing the process of designing the book cover art. It is so very funny). He also edited Poet's Bookshelf: Contemporary Poets on Books that Shaped Their Art and his poems have appeared in journals such as Court Green, McSweeny's, La Petite Zine, Octopus, and Mipoesias. His music project, Short Hand, is available through Collectible Escalators Records (listen here.). His wife is sweet ('tis true, I've met her) and his kids are very cute (also true, met them, too) and he lives in Muncie, Indiana and teaches English at Ball State University. No slouch, this guy. So, please welcome today's special guest, Peter Davis.

Guth: Tell us what you write, what you have written and how you do it? (You guys know I like to ask that because I have such funky and specific writing rituals, myself.)

I write poems, songs, notes to my wife, stuff on my blog, comments on my student’s stuff, and misc. crap like phone numbers and directions. I’ve written all sorts of stuff, most of it was awful, or close to awful. I do it like a stupid group of hands trying to catch a fish. Yucky! I don’t like most of what I write (for instance, I’m not happy with what I’m writing here… I keep thinking, I could say something better than this…). I don’t know exactly why I keep doing it. But I like it lots! I’m always like, yea, rockin! I’ll write something!

AG: What grand things are next for you? What would you, we're talking dream gigs and adventures here, love to be next for you?

Oh Jesus, I would love to publish another book or two. I’ve got the manuscripts. I’d like to get my kids in a kick-ass school that has really great teachers. I’d like to spend lots of time with them and to enjoy it always. I’d also like to stay married to my wife because I love her so much. I’d like to make friends. I’d like to be a good dad and friend. I want my kids to love and respect me and to always tell me the truth.

AG: What Smiths or Morrissey song or lyric sums it up for you right now?

I wish I could give you something here. What I remember about Morrissey is that he was asexual, or so he claimed, or so I remember he claimed. I never bought it. I was always, like, “I think you look terrific in sideburns, flannel, and jeans, but I don’t buy it.”

And there you have it, dear readers. Peter Davis. Head over to his blog and say hello, pick up a copy of his book, be friends with him on your varius social networky places, and for goodness sake, if you hear that he'll be reading someplace near you, make a point to attend.