I’ve been writing since I was probably 12 or 13 years old. Always told I was too sensitive, it wasn’t too surprising that I would happen upon the Romantics and fall in love – Blake, Shelley, Yeats, and on and on. Add in a broad, cavernous streak of darkness and turmoil and how could I resist Poe, T.S. Elliot, Dickinson, and Plath. 

This stuck with me throughout my entire life. I went to college. I majored in English Literature with an emphasis in the Romantics, and graduated with an English degree and a certificate in Creative Writing. I was in heaven. I wouldn’t trade my time at St. Louis University for anything. 

During my time at SLU I applied for an internship at a local literary magazine that I knew nothing about – River Styx. Turns out it was a prestigious and 

historic publication, founded by Michael Castro. I was hooked.

My writing began to improve by leaps and bounds thanks to the mentorship of Richard Newman and other writers I was meeting at the time. This was truly one of the most magical and transformative times of my life; hanging out with writers every day. 

During that time I had a few pieces published and won a couple of awards. Unfortunately, adult life and ambitions stamped out time for writing. I fell to the 9-to-5. I “postponed” my MFA goals and PhD goals and got sucked up by the vacuum of conventional goals. 

But, writing is always something I’ve returned to. There may be years between writings, but eventually I succumb to that voice in my heart each 

time; and each time it’s a modified voice, shaped by the experiences of my life.

In my late 30s I committed myself to photography and found, in many ways, an incredibly similar outlet. I used photos as poetry and self portraiture as exploration of my substance, sharing these intimate moments with select few – a scratch to my emotional and physical exhibitionist itch.

I needed a place to share this most intimate part of myself; the ghosts of my life. So, here we are; covering almost the entirety of my adult life – posting poems as old as 1994. I’ve decided to include some of my photography with these poems as a culmination of exposing myself for all to see – without fear.