June 9, 2005

John Deselem

By Diane Chiddister

John Deselem loved poetry. He also loved Yellow Springs. And recently Deselem had launched a grand plan to combine his loves, to make poetry ring from village street corners on warm summer nights.

“I want to see people say ‘hi’ to each other for a minute before they go on to the next obligation,” Deselem, 49, said in a recent interview with the News. “I’d like them to turn off the TV and come outside, to look at how wonderful the world is.”

But on Tuesday, Deselem’s plans were cut short. He died after being struck by four women in a stolen car in the parking lot of the Upper Valley Mall in Springfield around 3:45 p.m., the Springfield News Sun reported. The women had shoplifted clothes from Macy’s, according to media reports, and sped off in a waiting car. Deselem, who had driven his mother and girlfriend to the mall, was just stepping off the curb when the car struck him.

Tuesday night about 30 police and Clark County sheriff’s officers searched for the women in a wooded area north of Springfield after the car was found crashed. As of Wednesday morning, they were still at large.

Ever-present downtown in recent years, Deselem was easily identifiable with his booming voice, sunglasses and funny hats. Whether passing the time on a bench or at Peach’s Grill or The Emporium, Deselem hailed passersby and loved to chat.

He grew up on the family farm north of Springfield, Deselem said in the interview, and learned to love language as he listened to old farmers telling stories. He took writing classes at Wright State, where he worked on the student newspaper, and had also worked as a cab driver and construction worker.

Deselem raised his two children alone. He spent much of his days caring for those he loved, and was frequently accompanied by his mother, who still lived on the family farm, and his girlfriend, Barbara Fitzwater, with whom he lived in Hustead.

Recently, Deselem launched his plan to bring poetry to Yellow Springs four times a week at three downtown venues. He hoped his readings would introduce more people to poetry, he said, as well as build community. Of course, he also wanted to do what he most loved, which was talking to the people of Yellow Springs.