Not to sound cliché, but Matthew Kremer (senior-English) was not what I expected him to be.

We met last week, and I am still trying to think of a way to describe him.

I can't possibly do it justice in one sentence, but let me start by saying non-conformist.

True, I was expecting that from a poet, but he was different in a, well, unusual way — if that makes any sense.

While the people around us were doing their best to fit into societal cliques, be hip, blasé and politically correct, Kremer was a refreshing change.

Kremer considers himself to be a socially conscious poet — writing about problems he sees.

And there is no dearth of problems according to him.

He wants to create enough spite in people to make them want to react.

He is a modern muckraker, motivated by societal issues that he thinks need to be addressed because they are prevent ing self-expression; i.e. political correctness.

Anti-political correctness is not the most popular stance to take right now, but Kremer doesn't care, he is not trying to be popular.

On Tuesday, Kremer's poem of the day on his personal Web site (www.personal. psu.edu/msk166/) appropriately said:

He sees poetry's direction as either belonging in an elitist academic forum or the newly popular poetry slams — and he doesn't fit in either group.

"The sad thing about this culture where these dichotomy's are established, if you ever find yourself in the middle you are labeled. Sad when you are given a choice and you like neither choice. People are sick of two choices when varieties are limitless," Kremer explained.

Maybe disenchantment with their choices is responsible for society's "horrible plague of social irresponsibility, apathy."

Kremer says apathy like it is a dirty word.

And you can't blame the guy — his poems are his effort to change society.

But he sees indifference everywhere here on the University Park campus in students who don't take an active interest in where they live.

"I feel bad for State College. Students treat it as a four-year vo-tech. They realize they are in a transitional period while here . . . but this place presents a lot of opportunity. Not enough people contribute; what a community should do is encourage people to produce their best work to a point where not a thing on earth matters more," Kremer said.

For Kremer, nothing is more in touch with society than art, and he doesn't believe in being a reclusive author.

Every day, his Web site has a new poem posted. His format is worth checking out; the words may be misspelled from a child's perspective or laid out differently to change the tone.

He sees poetry as a painting, meant for the page.

Although Kremer doesn't think of poetry as a performance art, he will be reading some of his at about 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at Webster's Bookstore Café, 128 S. Allen St. While you are there (and I think you should be) look for his first collection of poetry, heading to lost nation. He also has a new, as-of-yet unpublished manuscript, sources in mouths.

He will be doing another reading this month at 7 p.m. on Feb. 25 at Café 210 West, 210 W. College Ave.

Hopefully you know enough by now not to expect love poems — that's not Kremer's thing.

He's looking to establish a different mood.

One of his poems, "mathematician" is about society's boredom and tendency to make up problems they can solve.

"People want to do something so they create problems," Kremer says.

Kremer has an opinion on pretty much everything he sees. And sometimes it seems he is contradictory, an observation that pleases him.

"If you don't contradict yourself you're being silly. Everything I do or say is provisional. People are silly to think they need to streamline themselves into consistency."

What is Kremer's ultimate goal with this poetry that touches upon so much?

"To create a creative movement of like minds. Establish this generation for something. Everyone feels they have to be bashed in for what they represent. I don't believe in representation. I believe in individual responsibility."