My poem “Lost,” a poem about hiking alone and facing one’s demons while doing so, is currently available in issue 37.2 of Louisiana Literature. Louisiana Literature has featured some of the finest writing published in America. The journal has always striven to spotlight local talent alongside nationally-recognized authors. Louisiana Literature’s most honors include both Writer’s Digest Fiction 50 and Poetry 50, celebrating the nation’s top 50 publishers in each genre.
What Inspired This Poem About Hiking Alone
There was a time when I spent a lot of weekends hiking by myself in the wilderness. This is a very dangerous activity and I don’t recommend it. I got lost a few times and spent many a cold, cold night shivering on top of a mountain with insufficient gear. What can I say? I thought I was John Muir.
That being said, these solitary outings generated a lot of interesting poems. There is something inherently poetic about facing nature by yourself. With nothing but you, an empty mountain trail, and your thoughts, you begin to see certain elements of your life with perfect clarity.
This particular outing brought my relationship with my father into sharp focus for me.
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