Sep 1, 2008 6:08 am US/Central
St. Benedict Maintenance Worker Honored For Poetry
ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (AP) ―
Larry Schug always has something to write about.
It's how he knows he's alive.
"People say, 'I don't know what to write about,' and I say, 'What, did you wake up dead this morning?"' he said. "Turn off the TV every once in a while, pull the ear buds out of your ears, shut off your cell phone and use your brain. Things always happen to you."
Schug has published four books of poetry and has worked at the College of St. Benedict for 31 years. His words are spoken like a true writer and educator, but his job isn't as a professor at the university. Schug is the recycling and deliveries coordinator.
"People often try to put everybody else in some kind of box or stereotype. A guy working in the maintenance department does not jive with most people's ideas of being a poet. Little do they know," he said.
His poetry recently earned him a $25,000 Loft Award from the 2008 McKnight Artist Fellowships for Writers.
Schug and three other Loft Award winners will be honored at a reception on Sept. 13 at the Target Performance Hall in Minneapolis.
Schug has applied for the McKnight Artist Fellowship for Writers for 20 years and never won.
"I never got an honorable mention, never heard anything except a form letter," he said.
This year was his year.
Schug submitted 15 new and old poems from his catalog that got the judges' attention.
"I just got lucky and hit the right judge," Schug said humbly. "I like to think there's some quality involved in my writing, but sometimes I get kind of cynical about these things."
The award money is not earmarked, so Schug can use the winnings as he sees fit.
Schug plans to use some of it to publish his fifth book of poetry.
His books are often used by classes at the university as teaching tools, and he has spoken to classes from grade-schoolers to adults about writing.
"I like being around students, and I like the classroom situation, but as far as teaching, it doesn't appeal to me," Schug said.
Schug's last book, "The Turning of the Wheels," was published in 2001. His latest manuscript is divided into six chapters ranging from "Grateful to the Dead" to a section about New Mexico where Schug visits every year.
Schug is unsure of a publishing date.
"The writing is easy and I love doing the writing, but the business end of this drives me crazy," he said.
His wife, Juli Rule, who works in the Fine Arts department at the College of St. Benedict, helps a lot with the business side.
His next book will likely be published with North Star Press of St. Cloud Inc., which has printed three of his other books.
Schug said he has enough poems written to publish about three more books.
Schug's fire for writing poetry was lit following a third-grade writing assignment.
"I handed it in, got some positive feedback, and the rest is history," he said.
Just like his first poem, he still opts to do all of his writing by hand and carries a notebook on the job to jot down lines or ideas.
Schug tries to write something every day. He said he is influenced by life around him; family, life, death, nature, war and current events all play a role.
His poems are like conversations with a wise soul who is always observing and often soft-spoken.
"I want it to sound like we're just talking. I want people to just sit and read it and feel like they could look up and I could be there across the table from them," Schug said with a shy smile.
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