Poetic Obituaries: [David] Franks was a writer by academic specialty,

having earned a master's degree in writing at the Johns Hopkins University. For most of his working life he taught writing on and off at many schools, including Maryland Institute College of Art and the University of New Orleans.

He wrote songs, essays, poetry and even speeches in the mid-1970s for two Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Peter Rodino of New Jersey and Barbara Jordan of Texas. As much writing as he did, however, Franks was as much a performer and conceiver of artistic projects that words could scarcely convey.

from The Baltimore Sun: David Franks dies at 61

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