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SNOWBIRD

 

Snowbird

is a slam.

I’ve used

the term

myself.

 

Never

is a stupid

thought.

I’ve used

the word

myself.

 

A snowbird knows

when to leave

and when to go back.

 

It is buried in her,

this call to move with the seasons,

traveling lightly with no possessions.

“Why deny it?” she asks. “Just accept it,

and enjoy the scenery.”

 

What kind of bird

stays? What do you call

a bird that stores

food and insulates

their home and puts

together jigsaw puzzles

to fritter away

the horrible night?

 

What kind of bird

chooses to wear

a badge of

martyrdom

when paradise

is just

a flight

away?

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Interview about the book

1. What was your inspiration for “Florida: Poetry and Prose”?
   1. Since moving from snowy northern New York state to sunny Florida several years ago, I’ve enjoyed connecting to my new home’s landscape and culture. The sights, sounds, and smells of the Sunshine State are really unique and diverse. It’s surprising to many just how large the state is: it features 1350 miles of coastline! Despite all of the natural beauty, there’s also a lot of tension in terms of overdevelopment, environmental issues, and politics. In “Florida: Poetry and Prose,” I wanted to collect my observations on both the natural beauty and the social eccentricities of the place. Other themes I’ve been writing about lately are home, family, memory, and change.
2. What was your process in writing the book?
   1. I’d been writing poems—and a few stories—ever since we arrived here, and I felt it was time to collect some of them together in a book. As a kid who grew up in the 80’s, I’m old enough to remember the joys of making mixed tapes of my favorite songs. Curating this book reminded me of that process. I basically laid out printed copies of all the poems and started to shuffle them around. I had some ideas about placement such as which ones worked well back-to-back, like a call and response. As with making a mixed tape, I also paid attention to the ups and downs of the collection. I tried to highlight the variety of pieces, from very short poems to ones that span four pages. Some works are lighthearted while others are pretty dark. Finding the best mix took several weeks. Of course, during this time, I also did quite a bit of editing; the more I re-read and rearranged the poems, the more I found things I wanted to change. A big decision with the process was whether or not to include stories, or just focus on poems. Another thing I had to decide on was including some non-Florida poems. I’m happy with the result that features three ‘parts’ because it shows the variety of writing I enjoy. Adding a few of my own photos was another way to share my creative interests.
3. Tell us about the book’s cover.
   1. The credit for the cover photo goes to my son, Brooks. He took the picture while we were enjoying a sunset at Rookery Bay in Southwest Florida. Since I began thinking about the book, I knew I wanted to use this photo for the cover. Playing around with the layout, the image of the sun and the book’s title seemed to be at visual odds with one another. One day, I was moving things around and found that the sun fit into the “O” in “FLORIDA” perfectly. That was one of those happy accidents, a la Bob Ross!
4. What did you learn from writing this book?
   1. I learned that poetry is hard! I’ve known that it’s a deceivingly simple genre since I first began writing poems as a kid, but creating a book for publication forced me to look differently at every little detail. In putting “Florida” together, I recalled the advice from teachers over the years, such as paying close attention to rhythm and sound and how they can underscore a poem’s tone. Also, I rediscovered the joy of subtle concepts like enjambment and assonance. In a more general sense, writing this book taught me to trust my creative choices; self-doubt has always been one of my biggest struggles. In the end, I’m really proud of the way the book turned out and am excited to work on more collections.
5. Why is your book a “must read”?
   1. While writing the pieces for the book, I enjoyed researching other works and writers based in Florida. However, I was surprised to find only a few books of poetry. Because the state is experiencing great upheaval these days, I think there’s a place for literature that closely examines what’s going on. Not only does there continue to be a huge influx of newcomers, each with their own “Florida Dreams” (like my own family), but the state also continues to go through profound environmental transformations. Climate change has led to rising water levels and historically devastating hurricanes. My poem “Waterfront” addresses the irony of Florida being one of the fastest-growing states while it fights a losing battle against destructive change. I haven’t seen other collections that observe this incredible place in the same way, and I want to be part of that conversation.

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Glenn Erick Miller is the award-winning author of “Camper Girl,” a Young Adult novel and “Red’s First Snow,” a picture book. Another picture book, “What Can it Become?” won a Florida SCBWI’s Rising Kite Award and is forthcoming.