Why did you write this book? I am a poet. I look at the world and write poems about things that catch my eye, things about which I have something to say, hopefully in a way that brings a fresh perspective to it. I want to both entertain and challenge my readers. I want them to stop and think, as well as become emotionally engaged. I want the reader to become teary-eyed, to smile or laugh, or to be pensive over different poems. As a poet I write constantly about life and events in it. Whenever I have a large enough collection of new poetry, I publish another book. This is my third collection of my personal poetry.
What was the hardest part of writing this? The hardest part is becoming satisfied with each poem as written and not wanting to perfect it more. After so many small edits and word substitutions, a poet has to release it to the world and see if it flies.
What's your favorite part? My favorite part is holding the completed book in my hands. It gives me quite a sense of satisfaction and hope.
What do you hope readers will get from reading this book? First of all, I hope they get a few hours of pleasure and enjoyment. I want my poetry to be an entertaining read. Then, I hope the reader becomes engaged by what he/she reads. Emotionally, I'd like for the reader to feel something stir inside them, be it a tear or a smile or laughter. Then, I want them to take time to think about their feelings and beliefs regarding the topic of the poem. I try to make my work thought-provoking. A good poem is one that the reader thinks about later. A good poetry book is a collection that the reader wants to re-read and to share with friends and family. I hope readers will get that feelings about my book.
What's next for you? More observing everyday life and passing events and writing poetry inspired by what I see. Look for a new collection of my poetry to be published in another three years or so, if all goes well with my writing.
