Talk:John Clarke (poet)

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John Clarke had a tremendous influence on my life. I took classes at the University of Buffalo with Jack including an independent study. Having worked in the English department at the University of Buffalo I got to know Jack well.

I think it important that readers who enjoy John Clarke's poetry understand that Jack was a wonderful man with a kind heart. He was brilliant and his mind functioned like a computer in his ability to make links between different texts and ideas.

As a student at University of Buffalo I entered the English Department. A prerequisite of gaining admittance was a B average between freshman English courses. I remember enrolling in American Literature with John as one course and the other course was freshman writing. I had taken ill that semester after being in a car accident and as a result had received only a C in Freshman writing due to missing assignments. John Clarke gave me a B, and I knew I would not be able to enter the English Department unless a miracle happened. Jack Clarke was that miracle! I called Professor Clarke on the phone and explained my circumstances to him. He said that if the grades were not already submitted by the computer he would change my grade to an A so I could get into the English Department. My grade was subsequently changed to an A.

From Jack's lectures I can remember some of the more poignant points of his teachings. He said that before a poet can be a success he/she needs to first brace their own mortality. This essentially meant coming to terms with accepting death equally with accepting life. He also believed that there was a relationship between all disciplines. For example, Jack could easily form links between the Bible, Greek Mythology and psychology.