'The Soliloquies of A Wayfaring Trio' was a months-long effort this year. I had no plan to create a book when I started reading unpacked journals from years ago. Those journals -- started in 1979 -- was at a time when life was about to serve-up some dramatic changes including a solo move from the Midwest to the Pacific Coast. I wasn't writing poetry then. In fact, I had never written poetry before, and it was only through those journals that I started writing creatively.
In 1981, that creative writing began with prose (one to four sentences in length). While taking a 10-month journey to Europe (1982-3), poetry in free verse form started showing up. An edited version of one of the poems written during that trip appears in the latest book and is titled 'A Day at Nea Kameni' (a location in Greece).
Thereafter, and in looking back, new poems seemed to have been triggered by experiences -- some recorded in the journals and others remembered. Having read Lawrence Durrell's 'The Alexandria Quartet' and with some free verse writing experience under my belt, it led to creating the new book which involves a 'chance' meeting of three travelers in Greece, a special adventure, and a look-back from one of the characters decades later -- presented through four soliloquies. In addition, I created a Sharpie marker painting for the book plus an acrylic painting of an Ionic column in abstract for its cover.
As the author, I can attest to the fact that writing this book was a journey (aside from the actual trip taken). That journey, allegorically, was populated by hills to surmount, seas to dive deeply into and emerge from, and foul air to cleanse. Having come full circle, I am grateful and heartened.
What a fantastic achievement.
ReplyDelete