Here It Comes…and It’s Gone is an eclectic anthology of poetry, deftly intertwining a diverse array of themes and characters. What was the inspiration for this collection of poems?

I guess that I’ve always been fascinated by the temporary nature of all things, life in particular. It is at once comedic, and tragic, and I attempt to bring a sense of both to the collection. That is why the end of the book finds the protagonist pounding on the back doors of the hearse, and leering out through the curtains. A lot of my work over the years has explored this theme, so I had a lot to choose from when it came time to put the collection together. And, what made it time to put the collection together? Well…I’m not getting any younger.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

I mentioned the comedies and tragedies of life. We meet some real characters in the book that were fixtures of the past. Folks like Leonard Berstein, William Hurt, and Franco Harris. All gone, except in our memories where they mix and meld with our own times and stories. And you never know where these things will go. That’s what I like about writing poetry: I call it “letting the poem drive”—avoiding pre-determined ends and morals. There’s a poem in the book called “Sans les Pantaloons” which is exacting about that—a poem that gets away from you, and finds its own hiding place!

What is one thing that people point out after reading your book that surprises you?

I guess the “one thing” (so far) is that when people tell me what their favorite poem is in the book, it is never the same poem. It’s all over the place. I guess that means that there is something in here for everyone.

What is the next collection of poetry that you are working on and when will it be available?

It was a three-plus year span between my last book (Lovely Dregs) and this one, but I might have the next one out sooner. Going through my archives lately, I’ve noticed that I have a lot of dystopian stuff that might be a good assembly project for the next collection. But you never know—sometimes a theme presents itself.

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