Liam Rector (1949 - 2007)

Posted on August 19, 2007
Filed Under Personal, Poetry |

I knew Liam a little when I was on the board of the Associated Writing Programs. Liam’s political instincts were always on the side of freedom & imagination. He was a lovely man.  His suicide comes as a shock, though he had stoically endured poor health for many years. I also knew Tree Swenson through the same organization, to whom I send my deepest sympathy. I feel as if I’ve lost an older cousin, someone I should have been more attentive to, but now it is too late.

Comments

3 Responses to “Liam Rector (1949 - 2007)”

  1. chris robinson on August 19th, 2007 12:29 pm

    Very sad news indeed. I did not know his work well, but came across a poem, “Peyote,” a year or two ago. It was very fine and evocative.

  2. Peter on August 19th, 2007 3:17 pm

    FOR LIAM

    A wasp undressing
    a Mexican bird
    of paradise

    unsmiling nature
    doesn’t even look
    up to us

    is not fond
    of yearning
    flipping to the page
    in its paper nest

    whereon its sting
    is registered as claim
    upon a certain field
    of bloom and pain.

  3. Robert on August 22nd, 2007 5:32 pm

    I’m very sorry to hear about this, Joe.