What Inspired You To Start Writing Poetry?
My earliest memory of writing was in high school. I always had a notebook where me myself and I could communicate thoughts that none of could articulate to anyone else. I imagine it was a way to release feelings that I thought no one else would understand. In a darker space, maybe I also thought no one else would care to hear how I thought or what I thought.
Do you think you have to figure out the meaning of a poem, or should it just be felt?
Wow, truly hard for me to imagine one without the other. I mean if you don’t understand it on some level, what did it make you feel? And if you felt sadness or strength or pain in the words, then you understood what was said, right?
What are some common misconceptions about poets or poetry you’ve encountered throughout your life?
I think people have no idea of the trauma that can be involved with a creation and how vulnerable it is to share your words. It is also not true that everything we write is directly related to an experience we have had. Every heartbreak and lesson learned is not from our own personal experience. Perhaps it was, perhaps it was how we saw something happening to someone else.
Do you think poetry is still relevant in today’s society? Why or why not?
It is if we remember that songs are poetry. Sadly the spoken word, not so much. Not many real cool places to go and listen to the troubles of the world expressed in eloquent passionate phrases from dark spaces with aroma of fine wine and cheese with important music in the background, providing a perfect backdrop for intelligent debate on how to solve the world problems by expressing truth and compromise and wisdom in such a powerful way that minds and actions are changed.
What would you say is your “muse”?
I wish I knew for sure what gets me in the creative frame of mind. God often just jumps into my spirit and the words pour out. That’s kind of what happened with Memphis, the video was playing. It hurt my heart so bad, I took out my phone and started writing my pain and anguish.