Buffalo's Polish east-side neighborhoods and the Langfield Housing development, where he lived during most of his grade school years, figure prominently in the poems of his first poetry collection, The Buffalo Sequence. He graduated from Immaculate Heart of Mary School and then attended Kensington High School.
The poet's childhood experiences in Buffalo's Polish neighborhoods and the Langfield Housing community had a profound impact on his early work, which is showcased in his debut poetry collection, The Buffalo Sequence. His academic journey began at Immaculate Heart of Mary School before he moved on to Kensington High School.