StoryTellerZine

  Featured Poet DAVID NEWTON BAKER by J. Smith Kirkland David Newton Baker lives in Monteagle on the Cumberland Plateau, where I met him at the a spoken word night at the Blue Chair in Sewanee, TN. I came to know him as a brilliant poet and essayist. As we talked more on spoken word nights, I learned he is also an accomplished musician, composer, and music producer. His work has been aired on ABC, PBS Kids, TLC, and the Disney Channel. Some of David's works take us back to familiar times, and some echo the collective concerns of current situations. He uses humor and plucks heart strings to connect the reader to emotions and memories. David is also a singer-songwriter who has produced two studio albums. He has recently returned to performing publicly in Sewanee and the surrounding areas. This issue of StoryTeller zine includes two works from his latest book “Haunting My Own House, Poems By David Newton Baker”. We appreciate David taking time to answer some questi...

  Interview STZ: In this issue, we are including a couple of works from your book Haunting My Own House. Do you have any favorite poems in the book? DNB: This book contains a couple of dozen poems out of 600 I’ve more or less finished, so I guess they are my favorites. To narrow it down more…perhaps "A Word Alone Is Not A Word" and I like "Shoe Size" and "Shalom." STZ: Where do you get inspiration for your poetry? DNB: When something bothers me (good or bad), I write to try to untangle the puzzle or just express more clearly what’s happening. It’s really my therapy. I guess you could say if the something is good, you can call it "inspiration." I do usually feel "inspirited" during or after writing which is usually a few hours of searching out the ideas and then the words to try to carry those ideas. STZ: Who are some of your favorite poets or writers that have influenced your work? DNB: I came to poetry late, s...

  Thimble David Newton Baker Everyone is given a small amount of love on the day they are born. No one knows where it comes from or who dispenses it. Sometimes a person here or there gets a little extra. But no matter the amount, it is never enough...just look around. When I realized I had so little, I first thought of hoarding it. But then I didn't want to worry about it running out or getting stolen, So I spent it all in one place on a Thursday and that's when these lies began to scramble for darker corners. The next day I sat in the ER waiting for news of my friend with a broken jaw. I needed some of the love I had squandered and I looked there in my heart where it used to be. Though still only a thimble full, by some miracle it was still there. So I scooped up all of it and spent it on my friend. Tomorrow when I wake up, I'll peek in again. Perhaps I'll find the empty heart I expect, or maybe another...

    StoryTeller zine showcases people who share their stories through written words, spoken words, and moving images. Whether they are poets, writers, singer songwriters, movie makers, or express themselves through spoken words, they are Story Tellers.   www.CrazyBuffet.club “ The Sky Is On Fire” by David Newton Baker. Copyright 2024 by David Newton Baker. Printed with permission of David Newton Baker. “ Thimble” by David Newton Baker. Copyright 2024 by David Newton Baker StoryTellerZine.com Editor: J. Smith Kirkland Cover Art: JimmyLee Smith Sale Creek Publishing salecreekpublishing.com