About Beauty

1. What was your motivation for writing “Beauty”?

I wanted to acknowledge the true beauty of the young man, Gary’s eyes, which had been attributed to my sexual attraction to him. 

2. What challenges—if any—did you have writing your poem?

One challenge was finding something which would demonstrate the young man’s inner beauty.

3. What is your favourite line—if any—in “Beauty”?

I don’t have one.

4. What do you want people to walk away with after reading “Beauty”?

How easy it is to attribute beauty to sexual attraction, and how this diminishes our perception of it.

5. Is there anything else you would like to talk about regarding “Beauty” that hasn’t been asked?

No.

Reading

1. What are you currently reading?

A memoir entitled “North of Normal: My Wilderness Childhood, My Counterculture Family, and How I Survived Both,” by Cea Sunrise Person.

2. Do you have a favourite book?

No.

3. What is your favourite poet or author, if any?

I don’t have one.

4. Do you gravitate towards reading genres outside the ones you write?

Yes, my favourite book-length works are memoirs. I have also written one about my early life, and its title is “Into the Eyes of Hungry: Growing up in the Wilds of Australia.” I also read novels.

Writing

1. Why do you write?

I want to share my personal experiences.

2. What do you love about being a poet?

I like […] how concise it is, yet it expresses deep feelings, and the beauty of its words and rhythms.

3. What time of the day do you write, and do you have a writing routine?

I usually write after my morning exercise.

4. Where do you get your ideas from?

My life experiences.

5. How long does it take to write your projects?

It can take from days to months to write a poem.

6. What advice would you give to other authors/writers/poets?

Write with honesty.

7. What project(s) are you currently working on?

Getting a chapbook organized and published.