by Kate Bernadette Benedict
“I’ve just visited Rod McKuen!”
“Who’s he?” asked the other passenger
and the elevator took us down.
Author's note: As a young book editor, Rod McKuen was assigned to me and I helped bring out two of his books (The Power Bright and Shining and The Beautiful Strangers). In a way, the situation pained me, for my preference, even then, was for poetry of a more literary type ... but still, this was Rod of the Lovable Persona, so I was torn between warring impulses of wanting to dismiss him and wanting him to read aloud in that husky voice, just to me.