"This interview was taped on 16 August 1991 on the deck of my home near downtown Salt Lake City. Mark had seen a set of twenty questions in advance, though naturally other questions arose spontaneously during our conversation. The day of the interview was hot and dry; we were shaded by a cherry tree full of finches and sparrows, and there were birds in the elms and on the telephone wires overhead. Mark paused several times during the interview to stretch out in his chair, close his eyes, and listen. These pauses and the bird chatter were recorded on the tape, though I didn't transcribe them."
Coles: You've had a varied career. You began as a painter. And over the last decade or so, you've written more and more prose—a collection of short stories, and articles on painting, gardening, interior design, fashion. Do you think that this prose feeds your poetry in any way?
Strand: It relieves my poetry. Whether or not it ends up feeding it in any way is debatable. I know I can't write poetry all the time. I suppose thinking about other things is beneficial because I'm not allowed therefore to get bored with poetry. And I like to have other areas of expertise, even if I'm not an expert. Though the stories were very bad, they were something else to do.
The conversation with M. Strand continues on Coles and Strand "In the presence of America"
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