Preston aka Jerry LaVergne

[bags123]

Just found out that my friend and contributor to PP Preston, AKA Jerry La Vergn passed away in March of 2016 in his sleep. Preston suffered from Epilepsy. I was fortunate to visit him on several occasions over the years. Great guy. I'll miss seeing him on my visits to Dallas. Just thought someone here might like to know.

Bags123

[nekot]

Thanks for letting us know bags.

I sent him a PM a few weeks ago checking in on him. It's still in my outbox.

Last week, I was rereading some of his poetry.

RIP Preston. If there's an afterlife, we'll party to some good music.

[nekot]

Here's a link to a short PPs interview with Preston. I've quoted the interview below.
viewtopic.php?f=99&t=53628

He said his favorite poem that he'd penned was "Dave Brubeck, on a rainy sunday afternoon."

Preston joined Poetry Pages in October, 2002.

What is your age bracket: under 25, 25 - 50, over 50?
I stopped counting 3 years ago when I hit 49.

What is your name?
Jerry LaVergne

How long have you been writing poetry? Do you recall what led you, if anything, to start writing?
About 5 years ago I had to quit working because of medical reasons. I thought, "This would be a good time to have a midlife crisis ... just go ahead and get it over with once and for all so I can get on with my life".
I even checked out a few psychology books from the library to get me off on the right track ... but I never could quite get the hang of it.
So I took up gardening and started writng poetry.

What has inspired/inspires you to write? Is there a certain setting where you like to write? Do you listen to music when you write?
As far as the original inspiration ... that would be Billy Collins. I found a copy of his book, "Sailing Alone Around the Room" at the library (this would be after I returned the psychology books). He sort of struck a chord with me.

There's not any particular setting where I write, but most of my ideas come to me when I'm sleeping. On more than one occasion I've been compelled to get up in the middle of the night and scribble out some ideas.

Usually though, they don't survive the light of day.

What is one of your favorite poems that you have penned?
That would be, "Dave Brubeck, On A Rainy Sunday Afternoon."

It was one of those poems that just kind of wrote itself.


Dave Brubeck, on a rainy sunday afternoon

She stands fluid in a shaft of pale moonlight
Stylishly attired
Yet with a plain and simple bearing.
A welcome escape
In this landscape of wanton excess.

Not quite a damsel in distress.
More, a lady in need of assistance
Unacquainted with the realities of solitary passage
And I, not quite a knight in shining armor
More, a passing gentleman who stops to lend a hand

I take her arm
And lead her to the safety of a well lit doorway
Where we stand in silence
And take of measure each other
And this evolving scene

A reenactment of so many chance encounters
Which could yet go either way
So i add laughter in the distance
And strains of sparse piano jazz
From a little cafe just down the way

Where we make our way hurriedly
Pausing for a moment at the corner.
Where not content to wait
We take each other's hand and cross against the light
Anxious now to see what lies ahead.

A table in the corner
With an unobstructed view
Where just beyond her profile
A trio of nameless musicians
Takes the stage

And here it all begins to fall apart
This rainy daydream fading
Into convoluted melodies
And non-chromatic phrasings
Once again


You can view Preston's archive here:
Preston

[heinzs]

Another one of our beloved minions enters the long sleep. Sad indeed. Thank you, Gerry, for letting us know. Preston will be missed.