Confession: When I’m diving into characters and trying to get at the heart of them, I sometimes write poetry as my characters to get inside their heads. For example, if a character faces heartbreak or loss or a hardship, along with character sketches, I may write a little poem or two from various characters’ perspectives. It would be as if they would write the poem themselves.
I’ve always written poetry for fun, and I enjoy writing poems that uncover emotion. And while I’ve only published one small collection of poems to date in The Postcard, I continue to write them and keep them to myself…just for these purposes.
Today, I’m jumping out of my comfort zone and sharing this particular poem. It was written for one of my characters in my upcoming novel. His name is Reid, and he is depressed, feeling like a complete loser, single after a breakup, and stuck in a rut. This poem depicts his emotional state, and yet in the novel, there’s a lovely surprise for him as things become brighter and his life becomes takes a turn—for the better.
My upcoming novel is about connection—and the value of being connected to people who have the power to lift you up. In the past, I’ve written about loss and forgiveness and resilience; this novel touches on some of those themes, but the underlying theme is about friendship and finding people who support you, no matter what.
I’m looking forward to putting the finishing touches on the novel this summer, and I can’t wait to share it with you soon.
