On his About Me page, Khary Jackson writes: “I am a poet, teaching artist, playwright, actor, dancer and sometime musician. I am a Detroit native, currently representing the Twin Cities. I aim to be a quality ambassador of poets, as well as artists in general. The artistic self is experiencing serious neglect in today’s society and economy, which necessitates an elevation of our work and focus.”

His first book of poetry, Any Psalm You Want comes out this week. Twin Cities Daily Planet said this about the collection, “Jackson’s poems are often high-concept, with titles that frame and telegraph their contents (“George Gershwin Writes Janis Joplin After Hearing Her Version of ‘Summertime,'” “From Leadbelly to Kurt Cobain”). Even within such tight frameworks, though, Jackson consistently surprises and engages.”

Here’s Khary’s answers to our six questions. Oh, also be sure to visit his site to see him in action.

What book(s) are you currently reading?

The Alphabet Versus the Goddess: The Conflict Between Word and Image by Leonard Shlain, and Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah by Patricia Smith.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Who?

Psylocke from X-men, and (of course) Carmen Sandiego

If your favorite author came to Minnesota, who would it be and what bar would you take him/her to?

If Edward Albee came to town, I’d take him to Shooter’s Pool Hall and we could play pool while ordering food and non-alcoholic (for me) liquids.

What was your first favorite book?
Hmmmm…….either The Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice, or Bunnicula.

Let’s say Fahrenheit 451 comes to life, which book would you become in order to save it from annihilation?

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. There comes a time when one must be elegant, badass, and hilarious.

What is one book you haven’t read but want to read before you die?

Any book written in Hebrew. Because that means I was finally proficient at reading it.