Hi Friends,
Today’s newsletter brings you two short poems and one story. I’ll start with the story, because it leads to the poems, and I think you’ll see where I’m going. Or not. Let’s find out together!
So, in the early seasons of The Real Housewives of New York, there was a member of the cast named Jill Zarin. Love her or hate her (I liked her a lot and not just because she was repping redheads), one of the things she prided herself on was her ability to connect people who she thought would benefit each other in some way, and not just romantically. She was a modern day Manhattan Yenta for all kinds of partnerships.
It was fun to see a loud and proud Connector because they often don’t shine a light on themselves as being the bridge. We have good friends who do this, as well, like Bryan and Lori and many others. It’s something Josh and I try to do for our circles as well.
So, why all this talk about connection? Because the loneliness epidemic has been on my mind, as well as the interplay between humans and AI now (and in the future) — and most recently, because I got to be the bridge online, bringing together a poet and an artist who shared a similar creative expression and well, the thrill I had in my heart was just explosive. Cue the emotional fireworks! Here we go!
Colin Campbell, the screenwriter, wrote his book Finding the Words: Working Through Profound Loss with Hope and Purpose after losing his two children to a drunk driver. Since writing his book, and still continuing in his process of grief, Colin posted this tribute to his children, Ruby and Hart.
A beautiful tribute on its own, no doubt. Here are pics you can click on for a closer look:
I can’t imagine what this kind of grief does to a person, but I see some of what comes from it. And these images immediately rang all my internal bells because it reminded me of this deeply memorable poem, THE PAYPHONE in the collection MEXICANS ON THE MOON by Pedro Iniguez that I shared in an earlier newsletter. So, I added it to the list of replies to Colin.
What are the chances two artists’s reaction to grief and longing are so similar and align so well? To me, this is a cosmic connection; it is what makes this world so strange and beautiful. It is the best of what happens when we humans share our broken parts and crooked pieces.
I tagged the science fiction writer and speculative poet, Pedro Iniguez, in my reply because I wanted him to also read Colin’s post. I was hoping he, too, would be moved just as much. He appreciated this connection, but little did I know he had other big distractions going on in his life that day. He just happened to win the Bram Stoker Award for Poetry on that very same day.
Because of this strange little bit of synchronicity, Pedro and I messaged and he agreed to answer a few questions for me in a new series I’m starting called THE COMMA QUICKIE, where I ask poets to share their brains with us and answer 3 easy questions. (I did interview novelist Jami Attenberg, a poetry enthusiast, back before I named this segment, but now I count that interview as part of this series, too.) So, without further ado, here’s some words from the wise and wonderful Pedro Iniguez, followed by one more short poem that talks about what artists and audiences give to each other. In a word, connection.
1) When did poetry first come into your life? Was there a particular poem that was shared with you early on that made you say "AHA, I connect to these words/these words mean something to me!"?
PI: I learned about poetry in third grade and this continued into high school, when class read Edgar Allan Poe’s works, like The Raven, which really stood out to me for its melancholic mood. I was instantly drawn to horror poetry from that point on.
2) Is there a poem or collection that you go back to for comfort, inspiration, or creative stimulation? Do you have an all-time favorite poem?
PI: I don’t have a favorite collection per se, but I do enjoy speculative poetry magazines like Star*Line and Space and Time Magazine. My all-time favorite poem, though, would have to be Carl Sandburg’s Choose.
3) Which poets/poems are you currently reading or have just read? Who would you recommend to reluctant poetry readers, people who want to read poetry but are scared they aren't smart enough for it? (I hear this complaint/confession a lot.)
PI: Coming from a speculative poetry background, I would recommend poets like Cynthia Pelayo, Linda Addison, Sumiko Saulson, L. Marie Wood, Jamal Hodge, Lee Murray, and Juan Perez, to name a few.
Thank you so much, Pedro! And congratulations and !felicidades! again on the Bram Stoker award! Woo woo!
And now, I share today’s second poem. It’s Sean Thomas Dougherty’s short piece, WHY BOTHER?. For me, his poem’s about what connects creators and audiences and how we fill the needs of each other. In this case, poetry is the bridge, and Dougherty ask us to meet each other on it.
Do you see the connection? Do you feel it? All my synapses snap alive when I read it, and it charges me in a deep-down visceral way. It reminds me that none of us create in a vacuum, that we create with the outer world waiting for us - and those of us who are waiting for art are depending on you artists to deliver it. Your A-R-T is a J-O-B and we need everyone at work these days.
I hope today’s newsletter connected with you. Thanks for being here, Friends.
Kayla
thanks Kayla!