MDG: You've been published all over the place lately.
Did that take a lot of effort?

JD: Well, lately it has taken less effort to publish,
people have been asking me for pieces or tipping me
off to new places to submit and honestly being online
helps a lot, it was much harder when I got started in
the early 90's and a lot more expensive, I can't tell
you the last time I had to buy stamps, kinda miss the
whole process of snail mail submissions.

MDG: Yeah I remember when we used to have to snail mail
submissions. There was no instant gratification, but it
seemed to mean more when you were accepted.

JD: Yeah, I totally agree. I was always obsessed
with getting the mail as a kid because of zine
submissions, still am really.  I remember once I went
down to my parents mailbox when it was like 20 degrees
below zero and had to pick the frozen lock. Even
checked the mail in my sleep once, I'm a lifelong
sleepwalker.

MDG: What advice would you give young poets trying to
be published?

JD: I would tell young poets to just dive in,
publishing really isn't all that scary, I mean with
rejection-particularly in the small press, you're only
dealing with a one man or woman operation and you
shouldn't let one person's opinion of your work get
you down. Also it you don't like the writing in the
New Yorker then don't try to publish there.

MDG: You have lived and traveled all over. Do you feel
that's important for a poet?

JD: Travel is definitely important, but I'll say
this, poets like d.a. levy of Cleveland lived in the
same city their whole lives, I think what is most
important is being open to the possibility that poetry
might lead to travel in terms of readings and stuff
like that, just let the poetry lead you, not the other
way around. Poets don't so much write poems, but as
Venice West poet Frank T. Rios would say they receive
the poem, you just have to be open to the possibilities.

MDG: Yes, da levy did live his whole life in Cleaveland,
but he did travel. He wrote a few poems in New York.

JD: Everyone travels at some point, I do all the
time, levy unlike a number of poets really was his
city, even when traveling, I guess as writers that is
something that is hard to get past. I feel like my
writing is very much a reflect of the city of
Phildelphia, which I haven't lived in in years, but
your home is the one in your heart, at least in my
opinion.

MDG: If the city of Philadelphia defines your writing
would you consider your writing dark?

JD:I wouldn't say my writing is dark, just honest, much like the city itself.

MDG: Given your unique style what are your influences?

JD: Well that changes like the seasons, though some of
the poets that never go out of style include Scott
Wannberg, Eugene Ruggles, Kell Robertson, Ted Berrigan,
and Maura O'Connor, Ed Dorn and those are really just
a few.

MDG: You have a few new books out do you want to plug
them and let people know where to get them?

JD: I do have like 4 books out this year including
"dreams that would drown most men" with the ever
lovely and talented Amanda Oaks on Rose of Sharon, I'd
say the best way to get them is to drop me message on
myspace and I can supply the mailing address for any
of the publishers.

JD: Met all 3 of the poets you mentioned online years
ago, I've been very lucky, whether it's been online or
at readings I met so good people.