Pop Quiz
by Bobby Mitchell
 
1.   What is your name?         Bobby Mitchell
2.   How old are you?         Is that in dog years?  As old as the hills and twice as mouldy - or 48 for short.
3.   Where do you live?         Mostly in the fantasy-ridden synaptic canals of my own imagination, and in Lost Crutches/Lost Causes/Lost Crunchies, New Mexico at other times.
4.   What do you do for a living?         Dream.  And write poetry.  But other than that, as little as I possibly can!!
5.   Do you drive?         Better than Ti Jean!!
6.   What do you do for joy?         Everything!!!  Dance, sing, shout poetry, play, laugh, play with my children, play with my wife, Annie, play, play, play!!
7.   What is your pet peeve?   And how much does it weigh?  Does it sleep by the door?  Is it housebroken?         My "pet" peeve ... ??  My own shortcomings - not trying as hard as I should when I know I could try harder.  It's very heavy, and I can never get it outta the house!!
8.   Do you write, paint or play?  All at the same time?  (While juggling a dozen eggs and riding a unicycle?)         Write, write, write!!  I useta paint - but that was a lo-o-ong time ago.
9.   Who is the most impressive character you've ever met?         Everybody I meet impresses me to a certain degree (I'm not trying to be evasive, either).  All people fascinate me, and have so much to offer - I'm in love with everyone!!  Kissy, kissy, kissy!!!
10.   Have you ever read, acted, performed, thrown up, etc. in public?          I hate to think of all the times I've thrown up in public!! And as far as performances - yes.  But not in 4 or 5 years.
11.  What piece of literature or art moved your soul to ecstatic waves of bliss?         I love Picasso - especially the Matador series.  They're so simple and elemental, and so wonderful!!  Plus that nude by Picasso that's no more than 6 or 7 very simple lines.  He demonstrates what a master he is with that one drawing!!  And of course, Jackson Pollock, Motherwell, Rothko, and on n on n on.  I love rock n roll: Dylan, the Stones, the 'Mats.  Motown: Marvin, the Tempts, Smokey, and all those old Chuck Jackson numbers.  James Brown, Solomon Burke, Percy Sledge, Aretha, Doris Troy, etc., etc., etc.  Gary Stewart and Guy Clark, David Alan Coe, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Steve Earle, Kelly Willis, Lucinda Williams, Ernest Tubb, Miles, Miles, Miles!  And 'Trane!!  Art Blakey, Dave Brubeck, the Marsalis Bros., Elvis - there's gotta be Elvis!!  And Wanda Jackson, and "Little" Peggy March, Van Morrison, Al Green, Diz and Bird.  Hendricks, Lambert and Ross, and Jimi Hendrix, T. Rex.  Movies like *Double Indemnity* and *Treasure of Sierra Madre*.  Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Degas, Renoir, Stuart Davis, *Invasion of the Body Snatchers* by Don Siegel, Chuck Berry, Andy Warhol, Patti Smith, the Velvet Underground, "96 Tears" by ? & the Mysterians.  Baseball, basketball. The 1992 Bulls!!  *Basquiat*.  The 4 Seasons by Vivalde, Little Richard.  "Desolation Row," "Highway 61."  And whatever happened to the old Tony off the SUBs list who was always so pithy and so great to have around??
12.  What was the first thing you ever encountered that made you realise that art is important?         I honestly can't remember when I didn't think art was the absolutely most important thing in the world other than God!!
13.  Would you consider yourself an artist?  A good one?  Why or why not?         I could pretend to be modest and say I'm "not" an artist - but that would be dishonest and disingenuous.  I am an artist because it is what I *do*.  In fact, it's the only thing I know how to do.  I'm a poet.  I'm not ever sure if I'm "good" at what I do - that's why I keep working at it alla time.
14.  What are your favorite things that have ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with anything else?         Sitting on the porch at sunset with a hot cup of coffee.
15.  What are your favorite things that have ABSOLUTELY everything to do with everything else?         Making love, loving, writing, reading and arithmetic.  but not really, 'cos I don't like arithmetic.  Playing with my kids.  Reading some more.  Making love, watching basketball, eating pizza.  Etc.
16.  What's the meaning of life?         God loves laughter.
17.  Why?         Why not?
18.  True or false: the Three Stooges represent the apex of American cultural achievement.         Nah!!  Jackson Pollock represents the apex of American cultural achievement.  Followed by John Steinbeck, Philip K. Dick, Jack Kerouac, Arthur Steiglitz, Isadora Duncan, Andy Warhol, Patti Smith, the Velvet Underground, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, Bob Dylan, Frank Kapra, the Marx Bros - especially in Duck Soup - Hail Freedonia!!, Tim Buckley, Allen Ginsberg's "Howl," Lenny Bruce, William Burroughs, David Cronenberg (even tho he's Canadian - Canada is in No' America, y'know), John Coltrane, etc.
19.  True or False: Shemp was funnier than the original Curly.         What?  Are ya kiddin or what??  Nyuk, nyuk!!
20.  Who's da man?         Mirza Husayn Ali!!
(Bobby Mitchell died on September 11, 2007. He is dearly missed by his Nonelist friends.)