Interview with Rollan McCleary, Poetry Writer (Songs of Puritania)

Watch Songs Of Puritania On A Gay Theme, Poetry Reading by Rollan McCleary:

Poem read by actor Jason Martorino

Interview with poet Rollan McCleary:

1) What is the theme of your poem?

The poem is a satire of the (especially American) misrepresentation of gays and gayness in some religious circles as nothing but “lifestyle”, and the satire concludes with a gay theological response to wrong attitudes and beliefs.

2) How would you like people to respond when they read or watch your poetry reading?

Hopefully listeners would be interested to look further into the source and range both of my poetry and my ideas as a doctor of religious studies published on gay spirituality from outside an America which has too long dominated thought in the area.

3) How long have you been writing poetry?

For the last two years onto social media following a break of many years in the face of the impossibility of being published despite high recommendations to be so and a poetic drama being broadcast in Australia.

4) Do you have a favorite poet?

In Latin Catullus, in English Shakespeare, Yeats, in French Verlaine.

5) What influenced you to submit to WILDsound and have your poetry performed by a professional actor?

I found WS on the Net quite accidentally and, having some connection with Canada/Toronto through relatives was interested to put something through there. (It was while staying in Canada years ago I had the inspiration to apply to do what was a world first doctorate in gay spirituality).

6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?

I have written two plays and numbers of books published both regularly and indie on religion, philosophy, astrology (all can be seen on Amazon).

7) What is your passion in life?

I would like to have been able to convey certain major discoveries and ideas I have as in books like my Testament of the Magi, through adequate publishing/media promotion. I would of course also like my poetry to be more known.

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Deadline TODAY for POETRY Festival – Get your poem made into a MOVIE and seen by 1000s. Three options to submit:
http://www.wildsound.ca/poetrycontest.html

WATCH this month’s poetry readings performed by professional actors:
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/april_2015_poetry_readings.html