1) What is the theme of your poem?
Tense, Pain, Sorrow, Yearning
2) What motivated you to write this poem?
Was in a dark place in my life when I wrote it. I knew there was someone out there for me to pull me out of my FUNK and help me to soar like an Eagle. Unfortunately, that person didn’t come along until many years later.
3) How long have you been writing poetry?
Since I was a kid in Jr. High School (7 – 8th grade what we know today as “Middle School”)
4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?
Mya Angelou
5) What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?
It’s not like I couldn’t do it, but to hear someone else’s interpretation of my words, like when I had the table read to my feature film on 24 JAN 2014 at Paramount Studios, gives my words LIFE.
6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?
Yes, I’m a novelist with my debut novel on Amazon’s Kindle Direct. The book is called FUTURECAST and I self published it in Jan 2013. I’m writing the Prequel Sequel called: Target of Darkness both under my pen name: Patrick
Donovan. https://www.amazon.com/FutureCast-Andrew-J-Laurette-ebook/dp/B00B6RHU7C/ref=sr_1_1
I’m a screenwriter and have entered my sci-fi feature scripted series pilot into 14 competitions, placing quarterfinalist in 3 of them, and in the Paris, Austin and Santa Barbara Film Festivals. We’re also in the top 19% of all discoverable projects on Coverfly making their red list.
I recently, as of 26 AUG 21, spoke to an executive at Paramount Plus, and yesterday a former executive from Disney Plus. We shot the sizzle reel back in May 2014. Since there, my story has evolved from 1999 when I first conceived it.
The script has been elevated to highest levels of Paramount Plus which is an accomplishment in and of itself.
7) What is your passion in life?
Well, there are many things, actually but when I spoke to Brannon Braga a month before my 1st wife died in September 1996, I told him, Star Trek Generations inspired me with Kirk and Picard on horses in the Nexus.
KIRK: You up for retirement?
PICARD: No.
KIRK: Good! Don’t let them retire you, don’t let them transfer you, don’t let them do anything that will take you off the bridge of that ship because while you’re there, you can make a difference.
What I got from that was: While we are all here on Space Ship Earth, we can all make a difference. If I’ve affected just one life, in my life for the betterment of humanity, then, I’ve done my job and can leave this earth with peace in my heart.
Watch the Poetry Reading:
Matthew Toffolo's Summary 