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	Potatoes + food = love for poet

	By Tim Fields The Metropolitan


	Famous poet wants to be buried under a mountain of sweet potatoes. Nothing moved but the lips of the poet, as she read her humorous poem about her favorite food. The audience laughed, so did she, and an instant camaraderie took place. An audience of 30 opened their ears March 2 to Alice Friman in a small room of the Tivoli. Invited to share a moment with this famous poet, ãShhhä was the mental directive and the room fell silent. Armed only with an open book and a soft voice, the poet commanded the atmosphere. Smiles and appreciative nods from the listeners were in abundance. Frimanâs mingling of humor and seriousness was entertaining and inspiring. She let loose her intimate thoughts and gracefully shared her words that have brought her national recognition.

Friman paints her words in the monotone black of type, yet the meanings ingested are multifaceted in color.

From a heart wrenching account of her ailing father to a humorous desire to be smothered in her favorite food, her inspiration covers the entire spectrum of emotion.

ãMy inspiration comes from ripping ideas right from reality: what comes out needs to be related,ä Friman said.
Friman also attended several writing and poetry classes at Metro and interacted directly with the students.

ãShe is a fabulous writer, and we need to bring nationally known poets to campus,ä said Renee Ruderman, director of creative writing at Metro. ãIn my poetry class she was like a heat seeking missile, she listened to the studentsâ poems, and she pointed out what was good about them and what they needed to work on.


	ãSome students even said, ÎI now understand how I can revise my poetry.â ä Introducing students to key figures in the writing world is an excellent way to educate future writers, she said. Friman has published two books, four chapbooks and over 250 poems have been published. Sheâs won numerous awards, including a Consuelo Ford Award, a Lucille Medwick Award and a Cecil Hemley Award. She is an English professor at the University of Indianapolis and has taught at many institutions across the United States as well as one in Australia. Friman also conducts presentations, readings and workshops on a regular basis. Frimanâs latest poetry book, Inverted Fire (BkMk Press, 1997) is imaginative and balanced in its message of lifeâs burdens and joys. Her writings challenge the reader by showing what lies before everyone, the truth. Her talent lies in the ability to create intimacy with her readers. Frimanâs approach on love in the poem ãOn Loving a Younger Man,ä creates this sense of intimacy, and allows the reader to experience her innermost feelings cherished between her and her husband. By opening herself to the reader, Friman captivates the interest and imagination, an imagination that can envision a time, when a mountain of sweet potatoes are allowed to blanket a blissful and beautiful smile.