About the writing
I try and oftentimes fail. Putting words on a page and asking the world to read them is a responsibility in my opinion. I hope you enjoy what I’ve come up with. As for how I do what I do, read on.
I try to put tangible and textured words to emotions, to feelings, to moments or secondary thoughts we have all had. Some of my poems are deeply personal, others are on subjects I have never experienced, stories told to me by others. Have fun playing the game of which is which. Or ask, I’ll tell you the truth.
I love to play with space. When I began my love affair with writing I taught myself to break the rules, often. To me, punctuation is something you can use to your own liking. I view a line break as a pause, a comma as a needed breath, a period as a hard stop. The entire upload is a portion of the poem. If my piece is 4 lines, but you are looking at a full screen of negative space, this is intentional. If the border of a poem is narrow, hugging the words, this is intentional. Once you get the rhythm of my writing, or in some cases the lack there of, I hope you read it with the cadence and guidelines mentioned.
Some of my writings are meant to be read out loud. Read, performed, spit. The rhythm and rhyme too good for inside your own mind. I want them to be owned. To be stated 6 inches from your face, or sung against a brick wall back drop, whatever the context. If a poem is one of these lucky few, I will indicate it with a “dog eared" page. I hope to one day have the lady balls to perform these out loud. The way they are meant to be heard. (Now accepting words of encouragement.)
I see writing, specifically poetry, as a way to tell truth. To share vulnerabilities and humanize the sometimes whisked away subjects we all deal with. I also see it as a medium of beauty. An exceptional way to be kind and share a word or two of how amazing this world is and/or can be.
So please, read on, come visit often. And as always, stay splendid.
I have an unrivaled fondness for Cheerios and giggling. This might sound odd to lead with, but if you knew me, are getting to know me, it makes perfect sense. I have the curiosity of a toddler. I still flip pennies when I see them so Lincoln is face up, some good luck for the next guy. I have a scar that goes directly through my right eyebrow from a near tragic bungee cord incident when I was 10. 16 stitches and you can barely see it. My best war wound is hidden. I love scars. I have them all over my knees that signify a pretty damn good childhood.
I grew up in one house. No, there aren’t marks on the wall that parallel our heights and ages, but there are creaks in the floorboards that I’ve memorized. I love that house. I’ve seen a swing set turn into a garden and have said prayers for our lost trees. No matter where I am in this world, that house and the family, friends, neighbors inside sharing a beer, they are home.
I am easily the most optimistic person you will ever meet. I love that about myself. I am not sure where it comes from, but rereading this I think it comes from acknowledging that I was, am, incredibly lucky. I am unapologetically exactly who I am. At one time in my life I wasn’t, I think my strength comes from overcoming that smaller version of myself.
And now some rapid fire facts: I love running, being outside whatever the context. I hiked the Grand Canyon a few years ago and it was the most beautiful thing I have ever done. I cried several times seeing the awe of nature. I wish I never lose that. Or, rather, I wish I have the bravery to continue to seek out that feeling. I am a lover of listening. To stories, to music. Both fuel my soul, my heart, my up and down days. One of my life’s many missions is to be considered a regular at a coffee shop and a bar. One of these can be checked off, I knew this the moment I was a weekly visitor and had my own box of Cheerios behind the counter. (I wasn’t joking earlier, it's a healthy addiction. You can't beat them paired with whiskey.) Writing and reading, I adore both. My love affair started in high school thanks to a creative writing class and has since then only grown. I sometimes catch myself thinking of the next writing adventure. My next challenge.
Stay tuned.