Meet C. David Durkee | Author, poet, songwriter, musician and actor, under the pen name, Broken Poet

We had the good fortune of connecting with C. David Durkee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi C. David, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
As an artist here in South Florida, a songwriter, a poet, an actor, it can seem like you are talking, and no one is listening. There is such a diverse and talented group of artists here in South Florida, if you do not listen to yourself, the feeling to just give up or the feeling, “Why does what I do matter?” can be overwhelming. However, if you listen to yourself and you look for the simple rewards, this will help you sustain your art. I have written most of my life and participated in music and acting most of my life. I mainly did this for fun and really did not try and share my art. One day, a girl I was dating found my cache of writing. She sat on my bed with wide eyes and said, “Why haven’t you published these?” I asked her in all seriousness, why would I publish such silly little thoughts and where would I publish these silly little thoughts. So, she pushed me to create a Facebook page for my poetry, Broken Poet. Social media can be a welcomed cheerleader for an artist. Immediately, people started to read my poetry, and “like” my poetry, and comment. The response was overwhelming. However, after you get over this initial buzz, art can get to be like work. Eventually, you start asking yourself, is all this work worth it. When these thoughts start to enter your head, you must listen to yourself and no one else. Keep true to your silly little thoughts. Keep writing in your style. There is no formula to art, and do not anyone ever tell you that you are doing it wrong. I am sure they told Edgar Allen Poe to not to write such dark poems. I am sure they told Bukowski that he was rude and crude. But they listened to themselves and kept going forward. The other important lesson I have learned is to cherish the simple rewards that are given from art. Someone moved to tears. Somone who gives you a heartfelt hug. Someone hears one of your songs and/or reads one of your poems and just says, “Wow, I really needed to hear that ,” or “Wow, I never knew other people had those feelings, thanks for sharing, now I don’t feel so alone.” I once had a person who read one of my poems become so moved that they put it on the headstone of her husband because the poem meant so much to them. However, big financial rewards, and/or moving someone to put your poem on their headstone, is not the goal. It is the simple act of touching another human’s heart. No matter how lightly. This world needs a little more love and light and understanding in it. If your art is THAT to ANYONE, at ANYTIME, keep going. Listen to your heart and you will know.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I began publishing my poetry about ten years ago under the pen name, Broken Poet. Using a pen name gave me great freedom to write. I wasn’t afraid to cover subject matter or topics that might be controversial. I could be honest and raw. I wrote stories about addiction and alcoholism. About heartbreak and depression. About getting old, and feeling old. I did not have to worry that a client or a fellow attorney might see my writing and get offended or judge me harshly.

Unexpectedly, in a very viral way, my Facebook page, Broken Poet, started to gain a following. I would post my random, little, meaningless thoughts, and people would respond. They would leave comments, they would hit “Like”, they would send me messages. Everyday, this feedback would amaze me and inspire me to try and touch even more people.

Eventually, really amazing things began to happen. Someone who was fighting cancer found one of my poems, Morning Prayer, and used it as a mantra. He would recite my poem with his wife before he would go to treatment. Unfortunately, this fellow lost his battle with cancer. However, after he died, his family contacted me and told me that my poem meant so much to their family that they wanted to engrave it on his headstone. I, of course, was quite moved with this story and immediately agreed. Now my poem, my simple little poem, is engraved on a headstone in Missouri.

A publishing company contacted me and wanted to publish my first book of poetry. Again, this was quite an honor and something I had not expected or thought about.

However, now I had to make a decision. Did I want to continue to write with only a pen name and keep myself anonymous? Or was I comfortable with owning my art. I decided to publish and include my real name. I was proud of the work I had done and I now had the confidence to create and now worry about what family, friends, or other professionals thought. I had become a poet. I had grown into the role. No longer afraid to express my thoughts and tell my stories.

I wanted to continue to write and publish. But more importantly, I wanted to connect with people, touch their souls, help them in some way. If my art could do that for people, then all of my efforts and all of my silly little thoughts were worth writing them down on paper.

Really owning my art has allowed me to branch off into other forms of art. I have now written short stories, and songs and plays. I have performed in spoken word events and have performed music live in forums all over South Florida, including the Hard Rock. My plays have been performed by theater groups her in South Florida. I had a small role in a short film called, “Being,” that won an award in the South Florida Music Festival.

I am now endeavoring to branch out with TikTok channel a new pod cast.

The greatest thing about being an artist is the reward. It is not financial. It is growth. If you become an artist to make money, you will starve trying. Instead go with your heart. You will grow. When you help someone, you will grow and be inspired. When you touch someone’s hart and they tell you what it meant to them, that is why you do art. You grow when you try other forms of art. You grow by interacting with other artists. Just commit to being you and be honest. That’s what art is all about.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In South Florida, I would always start my day on South Beach. Going to South Beach at sunrise is almost like going to a speakeasy. It is there in the open, but no one knows it is there. Honestly, unbelievably, the most beautiful thing in Miami is completely free and can be enjoyed without a crowd. At 6 to 7 AM on the beach, there are only the few committed yoga people, a few dog owners, a few romantic types left over from the night before, and the few crazies (like me). We would join the yoga class by the lifeguard tower, and then go for a swim and frolic like children in the waves. We would then laydown on the beach and take sun. Sipping on homemade mimosas and eating fresh fruit. After equal parts mimosa, fresh fruit, exercise, sun and swimming, we would then change to something casual and comfortable and walk to Joe’s Take Out. Joe’s Stone Crabs is an institution. But few know that there is a very casual takeout place run by Joe’s that is right next door. A casual takeout place with a bar. The bar within Joe’s Stone Crabs serves the same stone crabs and the same creamed spinach and the same hash browns as the regular Joe’s, just in a more casual, and in my opinion, fun environment. After having a nice lunch, complete with a cold white wine, we would travel to Coconut Grove to take a nap in one of the parks. We would wake up and play Frisby, and watch the people walk their dogs. After being lazy in the Grove, we would change for the nightlife and head towards Calle Ocho. We would wander down the street at night and listen to the sounds of Calle Ocho, we would see the colors and the energetic people, we would taste the food of old Havana and we would finish the night by dancing at Ball and Chain.

The next day I would head south. I would stop at “Robert Is Here” in Homestead to get some fresh fruit and a fresh strawberry shake. From there we would head to the Keys. We would stop for grilled Mahi Mahi and fried eggs and grits at Doc’s Diner and then head to Pennekamp State Park and rent a boat. We would snorkel and see the statue of Jesus under the water. We would then go see the local guitar player and eat dinner on the sand at The Beach Cafe on Islamorada (otherwise known as Pierre’s). Where we will dine with candlelight and our toes in the sand as we listen to classic Jimmy Buffett.

The next day we will travel west On Tamiami Trail and go to Loop Road. Another completely free adventure. Take a nice picknick lunch and head west on Tamiami Trail. You will pass the Miccosukee Indian Reservation (where you can take a wonderful bike ride at Shark Valley – if you are really adventurous) and then get to a road the is called, “Loop Road.” This road will take you by car all the way through the everglades. You are sure to see all kinds of wildlife from Alligators to Hawks to snakes and all kinds of fish in beautiful crystal-clear water. You will go from a paved road to a dirt road, but the road is very accessible, and you do not need a four-wheel drive vehicle. Just take it slow and it will be the best, free, day riding through nature you will ever experience.

Finally, I always recommend for people to take a ride to the West Palm Jupiter area for another fun adventure. First, we would take a tour of the Panther Ridge Conservatory Center and probably pay the extra charge to walk the cheetahs. After we played with the large kitty cats, we would then go eat at a South Florida classic, the Okeechobee Steakhouse. We would have the Ceasar salad and a good filet and a baked potato with everything. Very old school meal at a very old school steak house. We would of course also have a good glass of a fine red wine.

On the way back, we would dress up like the 1920’s and we would stop and have a night cap at a real South Florida speakeasy, Room 901. This is a bar that is located, secretly, in a hotel room in Ft. Lauderdale. I can say no more.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My first book of poetry was dedicated to a person in my life who has been my friend, my teacher, my brother and my inspiration. I met John Phipps many, many years ago here in South Florida. I was a young attorney. John came into the office in a wheelchair. He was a quadriplegic. He was my age, a young man. The office I worked for took the case and I was part of the team that worked on John’s case. His accident was tragic. He was in his 20’s, he was with his brother and friends in Miami Beach, and they were doing everything right. They did not party too much. They went back to their room early to get some sleep. He, his brother and his friends all went to sleep happy from the events of the night on Miami Beach. He had his whole life ahead of him. He got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and fell and broke his neck. I was part of the team that helped prove that a building defect on the step to the bathroom had caused John to fall. Through this we met and became lifelong friends. Some 20 years later, my life had sort of become dark and sad. I was going through a divorce and, I guess, what they call a mid-life crisis. John suggested I move in with him to sort of take some time and put my life back together again. While living with John, we not only became even better friends, brothers almost, I was able to become a witness to his daily struggles. Watching John get up every day and just move through life, with a smile on his face, became my inspiration. I would watch John and say to myself, “If he can be happy, I can be happy.” Slowly, with John’s help and his inspiration, I came out of my depression. I learned, through John, the real meaning of “it is better to give than receive.” To this day, I appreciate John and thank John. I often tell him, “You saved my life. It is amazing to see someone who has such difficulty in life, someone who struggles every day just to get out of bed, be happy and smile. Appreciate life, no matter the obstacle, no matter how hard the road before you appears. Be like John, smile and be happy. That is the least we can do.

Website: www.Broken-Poet.com

Instagram: 1Broken.Poet

Facebook: BrokenPoet1

Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/1BrokenPoetVideo