About Me

Hello, I'm Robert Trakofler and I am very pleased to meet you I am not particularly good at writing bios, and this partially because I am new to self-publishing and just terrible at self-promotion but here goes!

The irony of my previous statement is as an owner of an art gallery and performance venue I have been actively promoting artistic expression in many forms, for many years now and I endeavor to promote as much as I can in my poetry as possible.

This is not a selfless act for I am an aesthete and have a deep passion for all forms of art… I’m a singer, drummer, I write poetry and lyrics and also have a penchant for repurposing antiques into other things in my store.

Yes, the store is also an antique store I probably should also mention it is also a vegetarian restaurant as well.

I am also passionate about recycling in fact if I were to attempt to create an overall theme of my existence it would be that… I recycle unsold antiques into other objects I repurpose furniture into more practical uses I have even made a 15 foot mobile out of antique meet hooks and broken mannequins I suspended from the old soda pop factory ceiling here in Pittsburgh that is my store called Zenith.

I don’t waste anything. For all of the leftover food I give away at the end of the week, I give all of my food preparation clippings to a worm farm and compost facility. I recycle what I don’t use in my projects at one of my favorite places the Warhola scrap yard (Andy Warhol’s uncle’s place) so you might guess at this point I am very concerned about the environment.

As a person of whom has neurological issues and experienced rape as a young man I am also passionate and write about human rights, equality, healing, and survival. I have been on the other side of life I had a drinking problem was homeless and even arrested on a few occasions. Artful expression for me (and many others) was indeed a way for me to cope and gain a better understanding through introspection it helped me to survive and transcend many difficulties and obstacles and appreciate even revel in the beauty that surrounds us all and it was in these revelations that sparked the inspiration for me to want to share them in my art.

I often say that at the end of every work of art, be it a poem a painting, a photograph, or a written article is a hidden postscript that says… Take this, make it yours… and then take it further! It is in this spirit that I write and wish to share with you my humble scrawls in the hope that somehow I can touch a witness's heart and mind to grand furtherance…

A spoken word video I did...

A song I collaborated on with lyrics and vocals with Mr. Constant Goddard

I often close my writings with this statement… A poem or any form of artistic expression is nothing without a witness, and for yours… I am always grateful:) thank you for reading!