Books, learning, and higher education were prized in our home and I grew up with a hunger for beautiful language and a love for the written word. The inner world of the psyche fascinated me. I studied psychology and, in time, went to law school and became a corporate lawyer. Precise language, logical reasoning, and human dynamics were an intricate part of my work.
After my mother's sudden death, I began writing poetry. The poems flowed effortlessly – an inner stream that rushed to the light of telling and remembrance. Poetry writing is meditative, a path to the subconscious and the spirit that bypasses layers of considered thought. Poetry revealed parts of my mother and of myself that I had not clearly seen or allowed myself to feel before.
Each poem presents its own puzzle to navigate and solve. Sometimes, poems are created effortlessly, seemingly writing themselves – as if they existed whole and I was merely transcribing what was already there. Many times the focus and texture of the poem I thought I would write shifted in the doing and became something quite different and instructive to me. These surprises hooked me on poetry writing. Letting go and hearing my inner voice speak is intoxicating. I became a better listener and observer in my desire to paint with words the substance, nuance and emotion of what had inspired a particular piece. In rare, golden moments, I hear the soul's voice whisper as my pen flies across and off the page taking me inside, outside, and beyond.
There have been moments of understanding, resonance, and connection with my inner self and with people everywhere. Moments of transcendence and clarity.
I have given writing workshops in Canada and in the United States on creative non-fiction and on poetry as well as workshops on healing through words.