James J. Lundy Jr. shares his love for Bob Dylan and the craft of writing

WRITER'S BLOCK

James J. Lundy Jr. is a poet, songwriter, emcee and the president of the Poetry Society of South Carolina. It's safe to say that he doesn't have much free time. Lundy did find the time to tell Preview about his love for the craft … and his deep respect for "Ulysses."

Q: You write both poems and songs. How do the two writing processes compare?

A: For me, the two processes are very, very different, which surprises most people when I tell them that. For one thing, my songs always rhyme whereas my poems never do. To me a song is like a puzzle to assemble within the confines of a rhyming scheme, a definite meter, and a certain verse/chorus structure. It's controlled by the engineering problem-solver in me. But when I write a poem I begin simply with an idea and just start writing without rules and let it go where it may, bumping into any associations and pictures along the way that may be lurking in my brain.

Q: What is it about Bob Dylan's music that you love so much?

A: Wow, what an impossible question to answer! It's like "Why do you enjoy looking at the sunset?" or "Why do you like the way bacon smells?" I think if it hits you, you don't ask why, it just does. That said, Dylan is at his best when his songs are just specific enough to evoke definite images but vague enough to be a Rorschach test for your mood or what is happening in your life that particular day. And then there's the voice: A lot of people say Dylan can't sing. Well, if you listen to him enough you realize he's one of the few people who really is singing.

Q: As emcee of Monday Night Blues, what are a few of your most memorable moments?

A: I think what I keep in mind most is not my emcee experience but the first time I read in front of the audience as a poet and how terrified I was. This was after a day of nervously practicing in my living room. That's why it's always a special occasion when a first-timer reads or performs - I understand the courage it takes to get up there. To see someone go from that first timid performance and gradually come into their own as a confident and talented poet or musician is particularly rewarding to observe.

Q: If you had to compare yourself to one literary work, what would it be and why?

A: James Joyce's "Ulysses" is my favorite book because it reminds me that every day has all the elements of an immortal, epic tale if you look at it the right way. I try to remember that just the simple act of living can be art and I challenge myself to see it that way.

Lundy was featured in the Piccolo Spoleto Sundown Poetry Series earlier this month. He can be seen emceeing Monday Night Blues each week at East Bay Meeting House, 159 East Bay Street, Mondays at 8 p.m.