The pleasure of words in your mouth — Mouthfeel is a thing. Connoisseurs of food and wine make a big deal about mouthfeel. And so do the rest of us who enjoy the sensations in our mouths when we eat. Think melted butter on warm toast. Or the juicy pulp that fills our mouths with the first bite…

What I have learned as a poet and a gardener — Nothing can grow in compacted soil. Seeds cannot germinate. Roots cannot spread. The same is true for words on the page. Strive for a loose, more granular soil. Leave some trickle space between your words. Our words are both the soil and the seed. We water both with our free-flowing…

Following a path leading to another path and another — I got to this poem through misdirection. I awoke at 3 am (something I do not recommend) my mind humming with thoughts of bees. Their fuzzy black and yellow bodies their dark knees coated with pollen. How on a cold morning in early Autumn, clinging to a night-chilled flower their…

The necessity of careful revision — When writing a poem check for leaks. Remembering that words like swift water take no heed of the damage they leave. At times a poem feels air-tight and ready as if every word you have chosen seems sea-worthy and right. Yet always a poet must wear a surgeon's gown acknowledging the…