Poetry

I write and recite poetry on people and places that have moved me, the spiritual journey and the heart's search for love, using metaphors from mythology and the natural world around us.  I discovered after one spoken-word performance that I'm really a storyteller disguised as a poet. :) On my poetry blog, you'll find some of my verses, and profiles of my favorite poets, updated once a week.

Recently, my husband, Matthew, has collaborated with me on a number of poems and helped me edit my own, with amazing results, so, you'll see his name along with mine, depending on the piece. Most of my work is lyrical, often unrhymed (but I'm learning to rhyme sometimes) free verse narrative. I have tried one Shakespearian sonnet, a very disciplinary experience and also quite satisfying; I will try that form again. Many of my poems are better spoken than read, so I will set up a series of recordings soon on YouTube. Stay tuned!

I've noticed that the modernist phase of poetry, where people outside the ivory tower seemed to have no access to understandable narrative verse, seems to have passed, and poetry is returning to its troubadourial and storytelling roots. I highly recommend looking up poets and poems at the Poetry Forum.

For a good resource on accessible poetry, I also recommend Garrison Keillor's book, Good Poems, based on his daily readings on NPR's The Writer's Almanac. If you think poetry is obscure and stuffy and weird, take a look at Keillor's choices and you'll be moved, amused, and inspired.

Also, on the links page, you'll find more general poetry resources and a list of some of my favorite contemporary poets.