Buffalo Rising Online

Feb 14th 2007, 4:05pm By Gabrielle Bouliane

Robert Pomerhn is a local poet, educator and artist working to create a new type of literature and poetics, testing himself to blur the boundaries of form using the Whitman tradition. If you have managed to get through life so far without an English degree, please allow me to explain.

The Whitman Tradition is based on American poet Walt Whitman, an artist whose work changed the face of American poetics. Poets in the Whitman tradition generally use free verse and rhyme to achieve a rhythm that reflects dialect and common language. Whitman broke from the academic tradition to write poetry that he felt would have wide appeal and would be an inspiration and a tool for democracy. Such work tends to have a social consciousness, and a belief in participation and performance. Pomerhn’s work falls squarely in this camp.

A populist poet and spoken word artist, Robert studied with the now-retired Dr. Landry from Buffalo State College. “Dr. Landry encouraged me, showed me the possibilities of the written word and communication. He's the one that opened me up poetically through some of the writers he gave me as a starting point. The work that I'm trying to accomplish is trying to liberate literature from its preconceived notions of types, concepts, or rigid formalities and give the word back its possibilities of new meaning.”

To achieve this rather lofty goal, Robert has completed his degree, done his time as a performance artist and spoken word poet, and published three books, the newest of which is called Abuse Art Not Children. The new title, released by Highest Hurdle of Chicago (formerly Press of the Third Mind), is a reflection of Robert’s concern with the current state of the union and his work teaching children. It’s a collection of collage, visual poetry and spoken word poetry in which he uses all the tools he has developed over his career to express himself in a mixed media format.

“My first, second and third book are predicated on spoken word poetry, poetry that lives not only on the page but also on the stage, not only through teaching but experience. A lot of that work was geared toward spoken word ears, for [the audience] to have a device for them to catch on to so they could hear what was being said, and then they would hopefully go back and read what I was saying. These days, I’m laying off some of the alliteration and rhyme. I wanted to be able to conquer form to leave it behind.”

Robert believes that poetry should be taken out of the academy and awards ceremonies, and that the experience of poetry gives people the opportunity to communicate freely, tolerate others, and understand others’ opinions and beliefs. In his own life, he teaches youth in afterschool programs, including working at the Dulski Center on Buffalo’s East Side and most recently being hired to work at St. Stanislaus Church, the oldest Polish church in the diocese of Buffalo. Here he will be teaching inner-city kids African American studies and history using the T.O.O.L. system: teaching, observing, ownership, and learning. “I hope to use some of the techniques I’ve learned to teach them equality, justice and a fair playing field for humanity,” he mentioned in a recent phone interview.

At the Dulski Center, Robert’s “Art in Action” program specialized in developing creativity through two different mediums of expression in a non-exclusionary setting. He felt his work was not only helping the children to produce art, but giving them a way to gain personal empowerment, build morale, increase self worth and face the problems that teens are facing today by channeling the pressure of their experiences. He did this by recycling found pieces and having the children alter them into works that had their artistic imprint on them as well, changing it from trash to a new work of art.

He also went to charter schools and after school programs, teaching symposiums and holding one-on-one sessions about selling books, constructing anthologies, writing, art, poetry, painting, spoken word, and collage. He used surrealist techniques and overlapping techniques to help the children make these strange juxtapositions and building their art through process, as he does with his own work.

“The poems that have come out of that exchange express a deep meditation on the boundaries, purpose, and redemptive potential of art,” says Pomerhn. “There needs to be a level of trust. Individuals don't have to step into a studio to create things that they feel in their hearts.”

With this as his work to date, Pomerhn will be one to watch as his style and technique develop. “I'm working on a movement to put an end to all movements, a style which not only shows strength but breadth, depth and length.” In short, he’s creating his own “Song of Myself,” one which he will likely pursue throughout his life, encouraging others to do so along the way. As such, he honors the tradition he has chosen by living it, something Whitman himself would surely have respected.

To purchase his book or learn more about the program, contact Robert at pomerhn.robert@gmail.com.