Verse Wisconsin 113-114 | Susan Firer & Jim Hazard

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Blizzard

[Audio Link]

Susan Firer & Jim Hazard recorded this track for Burdock 10. It was the last collaboration between Jim and Susan who were together for nearly 40 years. There were two takes recorded for voice and cornet. We selected a favorite voice track but were having a hard time selecting a cornet track. When the solution to over-lap the two came about Jim was heard to say "Christ, I sound like Ornet Coleman".

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Susan Firer’s most recent book is Milwaukee Does Strange Things to People: New & Selected Poems 1979-2007. Her previous books have been awarded the Cleveland State University Poetry Center Prize, the Posner Award, and the Backwaters Prize. Her poem “Call Me Pier” was included in the Poetry Foundation’s Poetry Everywhere series and is available for viewing on YouTube and the Poetry Foundation’s Poetry Everywhere website. She edits the Shepherd Express online poetry column, available at expressmilwaukee.com. From 2008-2010 she was Poet Laureate of the City of Milwaukee. More information at www.susanfirer.com.

Jim Hazard helped to found the Creative Writing program at UWM and mentored several generations of writers and poets. His books include Look Both Ways and New Year's Eve in Whiting, Indiana among others. He played cornet in several bands including a brief stint in the Shrine Circus band. Burdock III Hazard was a mini festschrift for Jim upon his retirement from full time teaching.