Tobin Simon, poet, father, friend, teacher died peacefully at home on Monday, July 13, after years of living with Parkinson's. His partner in life and work, Linda Trichter Metcalf, and stepson, Francis, were
at his side.
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Francis Metcalf’s tribute and video of Toby reading his poetry accompanied by Francis on strings.
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Born in 1941 in Fredericktown, Pennsylvania, Toby was the son of Mollie and Izzy Simon, brother to Bernie, father to Derek, Mia, and Francis, grandfather to Zach and Miranda, first husband to Eileen, uncle to Ivan and Jerry, beloved friend and teacher to so many, and ultimately, loving partner to Linda.
Toby received his B.A. from Washington and Jefferson College where he was captain of the basketball team the year they won the conference championship. He earned his M.A. from Stanford, and his Ph.D. from New York University. While a professor of English and Humanities at Pratt Institute, he edited the poetry magazine,
Snakeroots
. In the mid-1970s Toby left his tenure track position at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and devoted his life to the teaching and further development of the proprioceptive method with Linda. Together they established the Proprioceptive Writing Center, as a non-profit educational center dedicated to the teaching of PW.
Writing the Mind Alive: The Proprioceptive Method for Finding Your Authentic Voice
,
coauthored by Toby and Linda, was published in 2002.
Until his retirement in 2014, Toby taught PW and poetry at every major holistic learning center in the country. His particular contribution to the articulation and teaching of PW came from his study of eastern philosophy and meditation. He sat for a proprioceptive “Write” every day of his life until he could no longer hold the pen. Today Toby’s lifelong passion is practiced by people all over the world.
W
elcoming newcomers and seasoned writers alike, Toby ran his poetry workshops like jam sessions, with a sense of high play. He often opened his sessions intoning “All beginnings are clumsy and celebratory,” reminding his students that “We were all poets before we were not.” Toby increasingly came into his own as a bard through his teaching and mentoring of other poets and writers. In 2013, his collection of poetry,
Variety Pack
, was published, followed in 2014 by his collection of whimsical drawings,
Wiggles and Squiggles
.
Toby was a dear and generous man whose creativity, insight and sense of humor buoyed everyone who knew him. We invite family, friends and students to add your memories and reflections
here
.
Remembrances may also be sent to
Carrie@pwriting.org
.
We hope to share some of these at a memorial celebration next year.
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Contributions in Toby’s memory made to The Proprioceptive Writing Center
will help support the Center and continue his life’s work.
or by mail to:
Proprioceptive Writing Center
1001 53rd Street
Oakland, CA 94608
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