Where do you get inspiration for your poems?

My poems are inspired by a variety of sources: travel, nature, songs, films, books, mementos, relationships with family and friends, personal experiences and contemplating these things. I want to make sense of the people, places and encounters that have affected me, and to understand the world around me. An important theme in this collection of poems is “framework.” I’m interested in our place as human beings in the universe, the rich and puzzling nature of human consciousness, and the subtleties of our individual and collective journey as we move through and interact with the world. By “framework” I mean the world around us and how we interact with it and vice versa. The intersection of the self and the world fascinates me.

For me, a poem begins when something catches my attention. It might be a major, dramatic event like the death of a loved one (the poem “Mom”), or subtle as in taking a walk and glancing up at the moon in the night sky (“Crescent Moon”). Then I try to express the thoughts and feelings I had either in that moment or upon reflection, by playing with words, phrasing, rhythm, rhyme, layout... as well as the space between the ideas. About half the time I will finish a poem quickly, either the same day or the next day. Half the time I’ll edit a poem for weeks, with breaks between edit sessions to keep a fresh perspective. When I feel that the poem flows and needs no more polishing, it is done. I keep notes about whatever prompted each poem. Two such notes appear in the book’s “Afterword: Author’s Comments” section, discussing the poems “Broken” and “Framework.”

As an example of my process, this is how the poem “Crescent Moon” came about. I was walking down my street one evening and saw a crescent moon hanging above the Pacific’s horizon. A few clouds scurried by and briefly obscured the moon. The image was beautiful, the moonlight was magical, and I thought about what the moon has stood for—and inspired—in the minds of our ancestors for thousands of years. Right then an image popped into my head: a TV set hovering above a rowdy bar. I considered the contrast of our high-density culture compared to the sedate and ancient moon. The contrast between the kind of wonder it invokes and our fast-paced, information-addicted culture. Nature versus civilization. When I got home, I jotted down some notes and over the next few days the poem took shape.

Thanks to Jasmine at Jazzy Book Reviews for inviting me to participate as a guest blogger. I’m honored.