A recent Washington Post headline, “Time to ditch ‘toxic positivity,’ experts say: ‘It’s okay not to be okay,’” made me question whether I have answered too many pandemic texts with an “always look on the bright side of life” attitude. The answer: probably. I have a history of optimism. For example, when I was twenty, […]
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Summer 2020
It’s actually hard to believe the longest day of the year has passed. In my house, summer looks a lot like spring did, minus homeschool.
Gardening was a huge stress relief during the beginning months of the pandemic. My new favorite toy is a tiller. The soil here is red clay and it is no easy feat digging into the ground. I’m slowly tearing apart half our lawn and making plant beds inspired by birds and pollinators. That’s my big plan for the summer and fall.
I’m also making a big push to get my manuscript finished. Which is similar to tilling red clay and planting seeds. I look forward to this time next year, when I can see the rewards of this summer’s efforts.
On BornWilder
BornWilder is not simply the name of a website. It was chosen in homage to my struggle in establishing identity during my late twenties. Woman, (single) mother, and writer. Often times the most significant decisions we make are ones that go unnoticed by others. Read the story here.
Coronavirus Daily Poems
I wrote a daily poem from March 22, 2020 – April 30, 2020. From when my family and I began to stay at home through the end of Governor Roy Cooper’s first executive Stay at Home order. I was writing and sharing my way through the early stages of the pandemic. If you’re looking for a little poetic respite—no matter why you might need it—visit my Coronavirus Daily page. Thank you, stay safe, and be well.
Issue #1 is live!
From Claire Guyton in the Editor's Note: "The three publications in our first issue form, for me, a grand, deeply rich meditation on the passage of time, the lifeline or leash of love, our need to transmute fleeting human experience into art. "
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Publishing News
I am THRILLED to announce that my first full-length poetry collection, Anything That Happens, will be published by Press 53 in March 2021!
I have worked toward this moment for many years. The oldest poem in the collection was written in 2005, but the work really started back in 1995. Some things take time, and the journey has been worth it.
I couldn't be happier to publish this particular collection with Press 53 out of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I look forward to telling you more about the kindness and generosity of publisher Kevin Watson; and of Tom Lombardo, the thoughtful and skilled editor who helped me to the finish line. Originally, we hoped to publish Fall 2020. With the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, we decided to wait until (fingers crossed) we can celebrate the book in a public venue, with people!
You will definitely be hearing more about the book and the publication process. The main story in the collection is one I don't talk about. It barely appears in my published writing, and has only done so over the past couple years. This book is a big door I'm throwing wide open. I'm ready to walk through. I look forward to sharing this next leg of the journey with you.
On and On and On
As the days of 2020 melt into one another, Erykah Badu’s song “On & On” replays in my head. The song was released in 1997, the year my eldest son was born, and I hadn’t listened to it (or the album Baduizm) in a long time. Listening now, in what seems like a warped version […]
On Process
In April, I cut twelve poems from the poetry manuscript I planned to have finished by summer. Twelve out of sixty is a lot of poems. More than that, the poems were a thread in the book that no longer worked. Meaning, I took out a section of poems on a topic that (I once […]
