Tom Crawford

Tom Crawford and I met in prison...while teaching classes at Oregon State Penitentiary in the 1980s. We hit it off. It was a fortuitous coming together of artist and writer. We spent time together at his small house in Farmer Creek-a magic cabin nestled in the woods near a creek where salmon swam. Or, he stayed with my wife and I at our place in McMinnville. He was making ends meet, and at some point headed off to Korea. We exchanged letters. In time I lost track of his very unique and...

Oh no! I am so sorry to hear this. Tom was a wonderful poet and an awesome teacher. He will be sadly missed. Condolences to Mary... and hugs.

Grateful I am to have been influenced by the purity and guts of Tom Crawford's teaching wisdom and style. Suddenly tonight I thought to look him up, with the sense that he may have recently left this earth .

Forty years since I last saw you. And through you I learned that objects and creatures regarded specifically in the light and shadow of loving regard will open to reveal the eternal.

Maybe the best teacher this seeker ever encountered. You taught me that in...

Tom introduced me to, or I should say, infected me with poetry in the early 70's at Solano Community College, CA. I took every class I could get with him. The infection is still with me today and Tom remains one of my favorite poets. It is a lesser world without him, but his voice still speaks through his many, wonderful books. RIP, Tom. You are finally flying!