The Valley of Your Life is a collection of moving poems that draws inspiration from iconic works of art. What was the inspiration behind this concept?​

It was spring 2020. I was on a sabbatical leave putting together my first book of poems, Swimming, Not Drowning. When I finished sending my manuscript to different publishers and was waiting to hear from them, I was hungry for inspiration to write more poetry, so I turned to works of art. I started with painters I was familiar with and loved, like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Frida Khalo . . . , and I couldn’t stop. I kept on searching for paintings that talked to my heart, and they kept on coming to me. Visual art has a way to evoke strong feelings in me. Once the feelings take root in my body, I need to let them out in the form of poetry.

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

I am drawn to strong emotions and strong emotions create strong reactions. I see life in terms of light and shadows and paradoxically, the shadows that I often find myself in and struggle so much to accept are what bring me to the light. Once I saw that clearly and started to appreciate this unavoidable and necessary duality, I had the overall idea behind my book. Life is full of shadows, aspects that are very challenging, moments when we may feel it is easier to give up than to continue pushing through. Disappointment, rejection, conflict, cruelty, war, mental health issues, physical limitations, disease, ultimately death, all these are shadows we need to confront, learn how to live with, even embrace, because they are the other side of the light. Those are what make us human and help us connect with each other. Those are what make life the beautiful experience it is.

How did you decide on the title of this poetry collection?

Originally, I wanted to entitle my book, From Your Desert to the Valley of Your Life, which is the last line of my proem, “The Dance of Life.” I wanted to convey the whole idea behind the book that we have the ability to move from our arid moments to more fertile territory, from hopelessness to hope, and when we do that, we emerge stronger. Then, I realized it was too long and decided that The Valley of Your Life also conveyed the ups and downs we encounter in life and the beauty behind it all.

What is one thing that you hope readers take away from The Valley of Your Life?

Art transforms. Both visual art and poetry touch us in ways that awake us from within. We need more art appreciation and less false idols and false beliefs in our lives. The world would be a much better place. We are all pure light deep within, but we cannot see it until we push through and uncover all the shadows that are part of being human, living a human life. I hope this book serves as a reminder.

Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Book Review