Heidi Greco : part one

Heidi Greco writes in many genres—poetry, fiction, essays and reviews. Her most recent book is non-fiction, a non-academic semi-critical response to Harold and Maude, a film she loves. She lives on Canada's west coast on territory of the Semiahmoo Nation, and land that remembers the now-extinct Nicomekl People. More details can be found on her website, heidigreco.ca

Photo credit: Jeremy Baisch

How does a poem begin?

For me, a poem begins in its own weird way, via no particularly recognizable route. Often, it’s a line or just a phrase that presents itself. Frequently, this occurs in the middle of the night and results in my scribbling as well as I can in the dark on paper which I keep by my bedside. Sometimes I get nudged by something I see (or hear) in the world, like maybe a news story that lingers in my mind. The details might ride around in the back of my head for a while before something pops out as a way of making a comment or encapsulating it. And, of course, dreams (usually only fragments) have a funny way of opening doors to words that turn into poems. Unfortunately, I can think of only two poems in my life that have arrived nearly whole and complete.