SOURCE: An interview with Lucien Stryk, in Poets and Writers, Vol. 23, No. 4, July-August 1995, pp. 34-35.

In the following interview, Stryk discusses his background, his interest in Zen Buddhism, and his creative process.

I'm eating lunch with Lucien Stryk at his home in De-Kalb, Illinois. He has returned from London for a few weeks to keep reading tour engagements in the east and while here to be interviewed by me. His wife of more than 40 years, Helen, has remained abroad.

Instead of one of her renowned meals, I'm eating canned lentil soup into which Stryk has tossed mushrooms, also canned, and sliced, red onions. On the side we have tinned salmon mixed with the remainder of the onion, which has been marinated with apple cider vinegar, a consort of grapes and bananas drizzled with blueberry syrup, and toasted bagels.

It's surprisingly good.

In fact, Stryk seems to have a...