July, As Seen Through a Kaleidoscope

The book you’re holding is the product of exactly 31 days of writing, performed entirely during the month of July, 2024. With one exception, all of these poems were written on the day in July they are numbered as; Poem 19 is a revision of a sonnet written some years ago, whose final quatrain I was never satisfied with. As a special bonus, I have also included “Worm Poem,” written for a friend a few days before this project began, for creative context. 

This project is perhaps not particularly noteworthy from the standpoint of craft – except for minor copy-edits and formatting, there have been no revisions to the content of the poems themselves. That said, I am still immensely proud of what this book represents, from a personal standpoint. Poetry has been a great joy in my life, one that has been missing for some years. Making the decision to brute force my way into a collection of poems, and finding myself on the whole overjoyed at the result, has been indescribably affirming and encouraging at a time in my life where I’ve badly needed to feel that way about myself and my efforts.

Take your time with these poems, pick what catches your eye, chew slowly, and don’t be afraid to spit them out if you don’t like them.