Late Bloomer

The poet. Arizona, 2023.

When I was a child, I thought in poetry.

I know that probably sounds absurd. How does one think in poetry? The only way I can describe it is through my brief foray into language arts in high school, during which my insistent French teacher drilled phrases and strung-together sentences into my head. Eventually, after three years, I got to the point where I could execute a reasonable approximation of speaking, and even thinking, in French. You strive to say something in English, think about how to say it differently, then express it in another language. Thinking in poetry is similar.

From a young age, I remember writing little snippets of words down, hoarding them like I now collect pieces of Tupperware. Going to school in New York City was the perfect place to practice catching these fleeting phrases on paper. On Tenth Street in Manhattan, every window provided a glimpse into another world; you might not have had the whole picture through the glass, but you may not have needed it.

"That little girl on the fifteenth floor is spinning again. 

She’s wearing red. (I wouldn’t wear red.)

Speaking of kisses, watch–I can blow smoke rings.

Circles in the air, an emphasis. A sign."

But was this poetry? For the longest time, I didn't think so. And I certainly didn't pay it much attention. It was just another thing I could do, like sing that one, specific song at karaoke. I have boxes of scraps of paper in my closets, notebooks with half-phrases and handfuls of lines. I never thought to do anything with them, aside from holding onto them. They'd sit there, year after year, tapping their fingers at me impatiently.

Now, in my late forties, it's almost embarrassing to explain to someone that I've just now begun to take these little bits of yourself seriously. Imagine ordering takeout your whole life and waking up to discover you can actually make a decent omelet. Or a four-course meal. You're almost ashamed of yourself for having lived this way.

The bigger revelation was that I could write a book. And then another. Then another. I'm excited to be able to share this site, and the contents I'll be adding over time. It's not so much an expression of who I am now, but a revealing of who I've always been. Hope you enjoy and thanks for stopping by!