Collaboration Research 3

I discovered Charles Rossiter throught the Buffalo Listserv. Rossiter is a widely published, contemporary poet. His most recent work is a 60-page book of collaborative poems entitled, "The Night We Danced with the Raelettes." In this book, Rossiter collaborates with events and occurrences that he either witnessed or took part in during the 1960's. The setting of these events is College Park Maryland.

"The Night We Danced with the Raelettes" was recently released by Foothills Publishing. The book is enjoyable, because it is memorable, touching, funny, and takes readers back to the 60's. Note his use of humor in the poem below.

When Someone Asks Me Who Was First

We still lived in dorms
segregated by sex
but I lived on the first floor
in back
which meant that
once we decided
it was easy
to lift her through the window
walk around
and come in the front door
as if nothing monumental
were about to happen
but it did
right there
in my narrow iron dorm bed
just a wall away
from the distant din
of rowdy dorm guys
without dates
on saturday night.

When someone asks me
who was first
I think of Nanya
and that night
which is not precisely true.
There was someone or two
before her, I'm almost certain.
I forget the details
and the names.

But the night I lifted
Nanya through the window
as if she were
a princess, Lady Guenivere,
Rapunsel-in-Reverse,
and I were Galahad
or Robin Hood
or any stirring figure
out of myth or legend.

That night
she became the first.