Poetry gives me a voice when my heart has no words.

Poetry forges connections between people, many of whom will never meet in real life. Poetry is an expression of our unique human nature, told through the words of an individual in a single moment. Just like an artist might use watercolor to capture the view outside their window, I use poetry to express my relationship with the world around me and the people in it, one moment at a time.

Sometimes the darkest parts of ourselves make the most beautiful poetry.

It’s impossible to lie to yourself when you write poetry. Writing poetry is the art of dissecting the soul. We poke and prod and pull back all the little flaps of tissue trying to figure out how it all works. What makes it tick? What give it life? As a poet, our understanding of the soul is revealed as we put words to the blank page. …