Matthew David Wachsman
Matthew David Wachsman is a second-generation poet. His poetry collection “#irl” is his most ambitious attempt to understand the act of living, and to share what he has learned from history, romantic relationships and a career behind the camera. His proximity to historical events forced him to confront just how much everyone shares responsibility for who we decide to be. He was at the edge of the stage at West Point, in 2002 when President George W. Bush laid out a new policy which enabled the US to invade Iraq. Wachsman knew in that moment war was inevitable. He was inside the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, a week before Thanksgiving in 2003 as his hotel was being bombed by terrorists. He was in Doha, Qatar in 2006, ten feet in front of Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa as Tutu laid out his proposal to reduce and possibly end religious tensions around the world. Wachsman was shattered as the delegates in the closed-door UN group meeting refused to engage with Bishop Tutu.
Wachsman is an Emmy Award winning cinematographer. His work has appeared on “60 Minutes”, ESPN and HBO. He is author of “The Meaning of Love”, a poetry collection and “In Between”, a novel, both to be published in 2023.
Author photo by Ryan Sniffen