I have been a writer ever since third grade, where I had a teacher who encouraged creative writing. Writing has never been a conscious decision. That is, I never had a dream of becoming a poet. It simply unfolded. The more poetry I read by various authors, the more I wanted to write. My early poems were attempts to imitate well-known poets, unsuccessfully for the most part. As I matured, my efforts have been far more fulfilling, both for me and my readers. It is my desire that my poems will “speak” to someone.

 

Every poem has a triggering spark. What triggers a poem for me? Just about anything. An idea pops into mind, or I experience an event or circumstance, uncover a memory, or see something intriguing, or overhear a comment, or experience an upwelling of an emotion. They all end up in poems. It may necessitate a dozen or more drafts for a poem to be complete.

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I don’t have a “style”. Few of my poems rhyme. Free verse is my chief forte, but I don’t adhere to a specific pattern or meter.

 

The bottom line is that I can’t not write. It’s a compelling urge, a tugging at my spirit that won’t let go.