If you Google the top five questions that authors are asked one would probably be: Where do you find inspiration?
For me it’s a combination of a lot of things. Things that are happening in my life, people I’ve met, places I’ve been, the world around me . . . all of this inspires me. But I’ve also found inspiration in other poets.
I’ve mentioned Robert Louis Stevenson and Shel Silverstein in previous posts. I will always love these poets, but as I grew older, I found myself drawn to female poets. Emily Dickinson and Maya Angelou being the two most prominent. I even painted a “Hope” mural on my bedroom wall.
The picture above is not my artwork, I’m no artist, but the poem inspired some of my best awkward high school/college poetry. I fully intended to open up the old journals and spill my 16 year-old heart out, but alas the notebook cannot be found. I am so sad because there were some doozies. For now, you will have to use your imagination, or maybe break out your own journal to rediscover your own teenage angst.
I did find this picture of me with two of my amazing grandparents, yet another inspiration, but totally underappreciated in my youth. I’m sure I wrote a poem that went something like:
Cold day, Easter egg hunt,
Hawaiian shirts, and family fun.
Wish I could feel the sand on my toes.
Had to put sunscreen on my nose.
Instead I’m helping kids hunt eggs.
Running on their little legs.
Next time let’s just hit the beach.
Skip the eggs and have a retreat.
Fast-forward to 2018, and I’m helping my own kids hunt eggs on an equally dismal day. There weren’t any Hawaiian shirts, though. My, how times have changed.
Today is also Earth Day, so I thought I’d share a poem from my new book, Bumble Bee Sneeze, that was inspired by a nature scene. Thanks again, to my amazing husband, Tevin, for the illustrations. I gave him a challenge this time around. The illustration that follows this one is a “finding/counting things” that are from the poem.
Jump Grasshopper,
Slither Snake,
In the grass down by the lake.
Sunshine warm,
Gentle breeze,
Flowers full of bumble bees.
Fish are splashing,
Birds in trees,
Thankful for this nature scene.
Happy Earth Day!
2readmom 
It’s lovely to hear about your poetic influences. That poem by Emily Dickenson never ceases to move me. I love the poem you shared from your book – perfect for Earth Day. Your teenage ‘uninspired’ poem was great too. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks, poetry has been such an important part of my life in so many different seasons!
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