How important is music to your poetry?
I love this question! Music is one of the most important things in my life (even though I don’t play an instrument or sing, but not for lack of trying). I cannot imagine life without music! That may be why musicality is what draws me to a poem and why reading my work aloud during the composition and editing processes is such a valuable exercise to me.
What do you find most difficult about writing poetry?
Having inspiration and discipline meet up at the same place and time. Because I work full-time, I write every day 5:45-7 a.m. with more time on the weekends to really develop any seeds of poems I collect during the week. I still have yet to discover the art of funneling inspiration into the routine that I have available to me. Most often, my morning pages aren’t poetry, but more journaling, processing, and even jotting to-do lists. If I’m lucky, I plant some seeds to return to when I have more free time.
Why is poetry important?
Poetry is a doorway to sacred expression. The Chinese character for poetry (shih) combines “word” and “temple.” The sacredness comes from honesty about deep things (thoughts, fears, traumas, even hopes) that might normally stay hidden by the human psyche. Through the brave act of revealing, we connect with others. This is the where the redemptive value of poetry resides—as a reminder that we all belong.
How do you know when a poem is finished?
I suspect a poem is nearing completion when I start writing less and reading aloud more; it’s a sign that the poem is coalescing and coming into its own. When it’s finished, there’s a whole-body experience of satisfaction—a celebration and, oftentimes, a desire to share the poem. So, I’ll give it to someone as a gift, publish it online, or submit it to a journal. Also, there’s a strong sense—a deep knowing—that the poem now exists as its own entity, almost like a child with its own identity, and it has an opportunity to go out into the world and have an impact outside of me.
Photo credit: Sami Jo Photo
How does a poem begin?
A poem begins with a connection to something or someone, or a perceived connection between two or more things—such as sunlight and willows, or birds and wind—and my desire to explore this connection, the underpinning of which is most often Beauty. The beginning of a poem is a nudge, hint, or whisper begging for deeper exploration.
