When were you first introduced to poetry? What about the medium connected with you?

In high school I had a mentor who was an English teacher. She loved poetry and introduced me to Gerald Manley Hopkins. I was mesmerized and couldn’t help but memorize Pied Beauty. I was amazed at how one could say so much in so few words. Even today when I read a poem so stunning that it compels me to stop and read it again, the words jump off the page and resonate through my soul down to my toes.  That’s magic.

In addition to your poem being emotionally captivating, the title “None of This Is Ours to Hold Onto” especially caught my attention. Do you mind expanding on how you came up with this title and how it contributes to the themes you're working with?   

Thank you so much for your generous comments! The title, “None of This is Ours to Hold Onto” came to me when I was in a state of grief and hopelessness watching cancer take my dog.  But it also captures how I feel in life. Whether it’s my love and devotion to my rescue dogs, my deep love and curiosity for natural history, memorable encounters with wildlife out in the wild, or my daily discipline in my studio, all are gifts to savor. It all contributes to the themes I work on in my writing and visual art, oftentimes subconsciously.  I don’t have a TV, and I get out in nature every day purposely without ear buds or devices, with the goal of tuning into what my surroundings are. What will I see or hear today, what will I discover in my writing or my art studio today, what can I do today to make it a fun day for my dogs.  I try never to take any of it for granted.  It’s a privilege, not a right.  I know that screams cliché, but it’s true.

As a wildlife and habitat advocate, do you often find yourself writing poetry about the natural world and animals? Are there any other topics that you gravitate towards in your writing? 

It took me a long time to call myself a ‘nature’ poet because my poems aren’t exclusively about the natural world.  Having said that, many are based on my observations and experiences from spending so much of my time in nature.  For example, in “Untamed Notes” I write:

‘Coming upon a Black Tailed Jack Rabbit lying in the middle of the road early one winter morning, I can see its long torso illuminated by a finger of light just before daybreak. I am surprised by its heft as I gently pick up its body, feel warm fur in my cold hands, marvel at its elongated ears, its hazel eyes still sparked with its own light. I take it home to lay to rest on my property away from the blight of cars, watch the color go out of its eyes like pulled threads from a button.’

However in other poems I write about relationships juxtaposed with nature, as in “You Might Not Know”:

‘You once told me

I was the western wind

in your sails, but I was desperate to be

the wild mustard blowing unbridled

along a coastal hillside,

even the heady fragrance of an aged

Chateauneuf du Pape would have sufficed.’

As humans we are so intricately connected to nature and I like exploring that.

I see that you're also a mixed media visual artist. Your work is incredible! Do you often pair art pieces with specific poems? Or do you keep these mediums separate from one another? 

Thank you so much! I have created a few pieces where my poems are revealed. I’m always open to the muse to do more. Poetry definitely compels collaboration.

You often paint portraits, and occasionally, animals. What specifically about painting portraits connects with you?

I started out painting portraits of dogs and animals because, first of all, I love them! I still create pieces with wildlife and dogs but faces also capture my attention with all their limitless shapes and sizes. My style is contemporary, even whimsical, but I have no desire to create life-like renderings. I often hear from people that my work evokes emotion and I think it’s because, perhaps like poetry, when one leaves out intricate details it enables the viewer to feel more personally connected.  

What advice would you give to aspiring writers who might also be interested in the visual arts? 

What a fun question! First of all, I still consider myself an ‘aspiring’ writer and visual artist.  I’m self-taught and I go into my studio every day with an anticipation of learning something new.   So, here’s my advice: 

• There are no rules!  No judgment!

• Similarly, there are no ‘rights’ or ‘wrongs’!

• It’s got to be fun, not anxiety inducing!

• Get a sketchbook (not too small) and start filling it with a subject you love. It’s well known that writers should ‘write what they know.’ Make this your motto: Draw what you love!

• The process of exploration is the most valuable, not the end result!
  

Read Jeri’s poem, “None of this is ours to hold onto” in dulcet Literary magazine, vol. 1, coming soon.