“Sinatra, Sinatra” was responsible for cementing (pun intended) my so-called reputation as a social and political satirist.  Being an outlaw member of a poetry scene that seemed to have little interest in, or understanding of, the art of satire, I was constantly pushing myself and the envelope.  The poem, a takedown of extreme conservative politics that used Sinatra’s name in vain, was completed in early 1982 after many drafts.  The poem actually managed to attract the attention of Frank Sinatra and get under his skin (again, pun intended).  It provoked some poetry lovers to dismiss me and the poem outright (this was, after all, the Reagan era).  But it also motivated many others who didn’t really read poems to actually read mine.  This favorite was the lynchpin for the 1982 Howitzer Prize, a literary hoax that mocked the absurdity of all competitive awards.  After the intended target (Poets & Writers) was hit dead center, I dutifully exposed the hoax myself.  This caused the usual righteous indignation and predictable blacklisting.  But the overwhelming support of those who clearly got the message (and the joke) was all the more satisfying.

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