If one, for example,
is blessed with the gift,
of the most perfect balloon —
red or yellow or green —
floating just so, just there
against the blue blue sky,
one must make all accommodations
to hold fast…………steady fast
else that perfect thing
might slip from a grasp
with oh! and no!
and a sad, solemn watch
as it drifts everso far
out of reach.
Backlit by morning,
the regiment of flowers
calls my attention uphill,
which necessitates
a certain slowing down,
enough to slip quickly
into another space
a space
where ducks live in trees
and bright blue birds
allow no one to pass
without alert,
where sprightly shadows
criss-cross my path,
sing-song as they go
where the whispers
of the tallest trees
dance and play
across the pond,
where
magnificence
soars
overhead
and the great ones
heron and egret
practice the
yin and yang
of breath
and balance
where
for a while
the other world
is silent.
We hope you enjoy this interview with author Jen Payne, featured on Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews, an award-winning blog for book reviews, author interviews, and anything writing-related.
What do you enjoy most about writing poems?
Many of my poems show up as whispers of ideas. Maybe one line or two that reveal themselves…suddenly, from out of nowhere. That’s the most exciting part — that magic! Then…what comes next? where will that whisper lead me? To your question, what I enjoy most is allowing the poem to show up and become what it needs to become, allowing myself to be open to the creative spirit so I can tell the story.
Can you give us a little insight into a few of your poems – perhaps a couple of your favorites?
One of my favorite poems in the new book is called “Microcosm.” It’s about two separate encounters, one with a spider on my desk, and one with a fish by a pond — and me, wondering what they might be thinking about as we crossed paths. You know, in that same way you wonder about the lives of people in the lit-up rooms of houses you drive by at night?
Microcosm
The spider had a curious look —
not curious as in odd,
but curious, inquisitive, intrigued.
I saw him from the corner of my eye
watching me, then rummaging
through a pile of paper,
back again for a second look,
peering as if to say Who Are YOU?
(or WHAT I suppose)
Perhaps the same look of WHAT?
the fish had as it soared over the pond
yesterday afternoon…
Who are YOU? to the osprey,
and WHEN did I learn to fly?
Another favorite is “I Am Just the World.” It was one of those poems that just showed up, as I was saying before. I was walking on my favorite trail in the woods, and heard the something crawling. I followed the sound and found a spotted turtle making its way through the fall leaves. Spotted turtles are listed as a species of concern/endangered, so this was a very special sighting. And poignant.
I Am Just the World
Pay no attention.
I’m just here
beneath these trees,
their forgotten leaves
warm from the sun.
Never mind
my slow traverse,
I’ll step aside for you.
Make myself small
so you forget
I am light and love,
the god to which you pray,
the universe upon my back,
everything.
I think some people take offense that I anthropomorphize the creatures I meet in the woods – give them personalities and narratives. But, it’s not like I think they are skipping around in the forest singing and such. I use personification to get the reader to think outside of themselves, to consider the other creatures with whom we share this planet. We’re all connected…that is, ultimately, the theme of Evidence of Flossing: What We Leave Behind, and of a lot of my other writing.
What form are you inspired to write in the most? Why?
I write mostly free form poetry. It’s simply how my muse speaks to me right now. However, I have been working with a group of local poets, the Guilford Poets Guild, for the past few years. Very often they write in specific forms— a sonnet, a villanelle, haiku. I’ve been thinking I’d like to challenge myself to look to form a little more in my work. That could be fun!
What type of project are you working on next?
For the near future, I’ve been thinking about publishing a short story I wrote called “Water Under the Bridge.” It’s an epistolary novella told through a series of emails. And then another book of poetry, but that won’t be for several years.
When did you first consider yourself a writer / poet?
I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember — grade school creative writing, high school newspaper, college journalism, freelance writing, zine publishing. For the past 25 years, I’ve been the wearer of all hats – editor, copy writer, marketing wordsmith – as the owner of Words by Jen, a graphic design business in Branford, Connecticut.
I maintain a regular blog, Random Acts of Writing (www.randomactsofwriting.net) on which I write essays, travelogues, book reviews, flash fiction, and poetry.
I have written poetry for much of my life, but have gravitated to that form almost exclusively for the past three or four years.
How do you research markets for your work, perhaps as some advice for not-yet-published poets?
Just write. That’s my advice. It’s very easy to get caught up in the “business” of writing – editing, researching, preparing, submitting (and waiting), then doing that all over again for the next poem. I call it “hoop jumping.”
Better to just make time to do the writing, perfect your craft, connect with other writers. Just write.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I do my best writing at 3:00 a.m. I love the quiet of the early hours of the morning, before anyone else is awake. There are no distractions – none of the bells and dings and buzzing of our social technologies. Just sweet dark quiet…and coffee.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Honestly? I wanted to be Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie. I loved her little bottle house! Wouldn’t that be a great place to write? Plus, she had magical powers. What could be better than that?
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Yes. Don’t fight with your craft. Let it be. Let it do what it wants to do. I see a lot of angst-ridden memes about writers. Quotes that talk about the suffering we must endure, the anguish of writer’s block, the agony of rejection letters. Forget all of that and Just Write. Here’s a great quote to think about from writer Alan Moore…
“To me, all creativity is magic. Ideas start out in the empty void of your head – and they end up as a material thing, like a book you can hold in your hand. That is the magical process. It’s an alchemical thing. Yes, we do get the gold out of it but that’s not the most important thing. It’s the work itself.” ― Alan Moore
(Hey! So, maybe I have magical powers after all.)
Thanks for being here today, Jen.
Thank you, Lisa, for this chance to talk with you and your readers about writing and my new book!
EVIDENCE OF FLOSSING: What We Leave Behind
Jennifer A. Payne, author/photographer
178 pages, 5.5 x 8.5, Color Photos
ISBN: 978-0-9905651-1-6
$21.99 (plus tax + shipping)
This morning
I made a cake
from dust and ashes
to see how it would taste.
Would it be harsh
or honeyed?
Would it coat
my lips with memory?
Licked and swallowed,
would it
fill up my belly
to curb the ravenous?
Or would it catch
inside my throat
mask words and breath
in sweet, sweet silence?
Please make plans to join the Branford Land Trust for an evening of poetry featuring shoreline poets Carol Altieri, Juliana Harris, Nancy Meneely, and Jen Payne. The event will be held at the historic Branford Land Trust House (26 School St, Stony Creek) on Friday, May 18, from 6:30 – 8:30pm There will be an open mic at 6:30pm and all are welcome to share a poem about nature or our environment before the reading.
Poet Carol Altieri is a retired English and environmental science teacher. She was the Senior Poet Laureate for Connecticut in 2011, is the author of five books of poetry, and recipient of the State of Connecticut’s Green Circle award for environmental stewardship. Carol enjoys her seven grandchildren, hiking, birding, traveling, the Shoreline Institute and reading poetry, fiction and non-fiction.
Juliana Harris has contributed poems to The New York Times, The Mid-America Poetry Review, The Best Times, Chicken Soup for the Soul and The Kansas City Star, among other publications. A native of Kansas City, Missouri, she now lives in Guilford, CT where she is a member of the Guilford Poets Guild.
Nancy Meneely has published poetry, book reviews and articles in a variety of literary publications and newspapers. Her book, Letter from Italy, 1944, which provides the libretto for the oratorio of the same name, was published by Antrim House in 2013 and was the only book of poetry awarded in the Legacy Non-fiction category of the 2016 Eric Hoffer Book Awards. It was noted by the Hartford Courant as one of thirteen important books published by Connecticut writers in 2013. Nan currently lives in Essex, CT.
Jen Payne enjoys writing about our relationships with nature, creativity, and mindfulness, and how these offer the clearest path to finding balance in our frenetic, spinning world. In 2014, she published LOOK UP! Musings on the Nature of Mindfulness. Her latest book Evidence of Flossing: What We Leave Behind features 75 poems about nature and the environment, as well as 80 original and vintage photos. Jen is a member of the Guilford Poets Guild and serves on the Advisory Board of the Branford Land Trust.
There will be books for sale and refreshments following the reading, which is free and open to the public.
The Branford Land Trust is a non-profit organization, celebrating 50 years of protecting Branford’s open space and natural resources. For more information about the Annual Meeting and other upcoming events, visit www.branfordlandtrust.org.
Elegant Grace
(the kitchen spider)
devoured the
industrious ant
in less than 6 hours;
Grace can be cruel.
