Why I Write Poetry

People often ask me why I write poetry instead of prose. Why choose the harder path, the form that demands more from fewer words?

The Compression of Meaning

Poetry is compression. It's taking an ocean of feeling and distilling it into a single drop that somehow contains the whole sea. There's a challenge in that—and a satisfaction when it works.

Attention as Practice

Writing poetry has taught me to pay attention. To notice the way light falls through a window at 4 PM. To hear the rhythm in everyday speech. To find the extraordinary hiding in the ordinary.

A Conversation Across Time

When I write a poem, I'm joining a conversation that spans millennia. From Sappho to Szymborska, poets have been trying to capture what it means to be human. I add my small voice to that chorus.

The Invitation

If you've never written a poem, I invite you to try. Start small. Notice something. Write it down. See what happens.

Poetry isn't about being clever or literary. It's about being honest with language. And that's something anyone can do.