The Personal Poems is a correspondence between two poets (Tom Bourguignon and myself) stretching from 2005 to 2006. The title of the collection is a nod to both Frank O’Hara and Ted Berrigan, in that order. In 1959, FOH wrote a poem entitled “Personal Poem.” After Ted Berrigan moved to NYC in the early 60s, he became friends with O’Hara and wrote his own FOH-inspired poems (Personal Poem, Personal Poem #2, Personal Poem #7, Personal Poem #9).

If you are not familiar with FOH’s poetry, it is worth mentioning that the immediacy of his poems is a well-known signature of his work. The immediacy of Berrigan’s “takes” on O’Hara’s style is equally seductive and engaging.

Tom and I realized that “Personal Poem” by FOH and Berrigan’s later poems were a great model for a correspondence—for a manuscript with an epistolary format. The idea of keeping in touch through poems that adopted a letter-writing flavor allowed us to experiment and generate a fair number of poems.

Tom was in NYC; I was in Lansing, Michigan. He was going to school, and separated from his love by distance. I was an aspiring artist, raising kids and holding down part-time work. It was an enjoyable, productive collaboration.

Use the link below to shop for The Personal Poems. It’s only $4. All proceeds go back into the lifespan of the website.