“Fiercely loyal and full of appreciation and affection”—Remembering Ted Greenwald (1942-2016)

Ted Greenwald and I were friends for more than 40 years. Around 1973, I saw a poem of his in a poetry journal & loved it. I don’t remember the poem or the journal. I also don't remember how I tracked him down, but somehow I did, and soon thereafter we became connected for life. Ted would come to DC to do readings and hang out. And I would see him in New York on my visits back to my native city. He died in 2016 and I still miss him greatly, as I know is true for so many who loved him and his work.

Ted was indeed a steadfast comrade. He was also a brilliant and stunningly productive poet. He told me a year or two before he died that he had thousands of pages of unpublished work stored in the drawers of a dresser. I hope all that writing is in safe hands and will one day be published. I believe that recognition of the significance of his achievement as a writer will only increase with the passage of time.

We talked—for the last time, as it turned out—in May of 2016, a month before his death. He had been sick for a number of years, but was doing better and sounded optimistic. And whatever the conditions of his life, he remained prolific to the end, with several new books out in 2016 alone.

Ted was the most straightforward, no-bullshit person I’ve ever known. He told you exactly what he thought in a style that could sometimes be imperative, but which I always took delight in. He insisted, e.g., back in the ‘80s that I figure out quickly how to get a song I had written, which was very Irish and traditional-sounding and which Ted loved, to Frank Sinatra. He was convinced that Frank would jump at the chance to record my song. Ted dismissed my argument that this song didn’t really seem to be up Frank’s alley. He was like that as a friend—fiercely loyal and full of appreciation and affection.

Here’s an excerpt from a review I wrote of one of Ted’s books: “Ted Greenwald’s work has always been rooted in speech, street language, word of mouth. …Greenwald often conjoins street talk and technical innovation. …Ted Greenwald knows what real American talk sounds like, understands the rhythm and pulse of the language, and knows how to write poems that are built around that knowledge. He is one of America’s most ambitious and provocative poets.”

I want to pick up the phone right now and call him back to us.

Staring Doesn't Help

Staring doesn't help

Nor does running around

Music doesn't help

Especially songs

Getting together doesn't help

Nor does staying apart

Seeing someone else doesn't

Nor does seeing you

Sleeping doesn't help

Nor does waking

Dreaming doesn't help

Nor do any facts

Running doesn't help

Nor does sitting around

—Ted Greenwald

At my wedding on Nov. 8th, 1981: standing--Jesse Winch, Terence Winch, Myron Bretholz, Ted Greenwald, Will Farrell; front--Doug Lang, Susan Francis Campbell, Martha Lawson and Martha's daughter Kristan.  photo ©Terence Winch. 

[While putting this post together, I uncovered a review of a book of Ted's that I wrote in 1976 and had completely forgotten. As I recall, Ted's first wife, Joan Simon, told me he was very pleased with the piece as it was the first time anyone had written at any length about his work.] 

An earlier version of this post ran on the Best American Poetry blog on 19 June 2016, two days after Ted's death at age 73.

©Terence Winch 
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