In The Field: Conversations With Our Contributors—Johnny Cordova
Where were you when you first had the idea for “Li Po took a driving test?” What inspired this poem? Where did the impetus to use the title as part of the piece come in? It was the last day of a generative workshop with Jose Hernandez Diaz. I’d had a poor night of...
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In The Field: Conversations With Our Contributors—Jennifer Bowen
There are so many facets of your nonfiction piece "Just the Song." Where did the spark for this piece come from? The pressure to write it came while watching my kid perform in Cabaret on the day of Donald Trump’s first inauguration. It was haunting to watch my son’s...
In The Field: Conversations With Our Contributors—Lisa Higgs
Your two poems, “About Nothing” and “Pandemic Dreams” are beautifully-worked pieces. Where sparked the creation of these pieces? As one might imagine with “Pandemic Dreams,” I wrote this poem at some point during the lockdowns or soon thereafter. I don’t think I was...
In The Field: Conversations With Our Contributors—Bill Marsh
In your piece "Water Striders," you emphasize the steps involved "in learning, once again, how to love." Where did the idea for this piece come from? I wrote the first draft in early 2021, deep into COVID, when life was unstable on many levels. At the time my wife and...
In The Field: Conversations With Our Contributors—Jonathan Wittmaier
"Terrarium" really reflects the chaos of the family cooped up during a summer COVID lockdown. What prompted you to write this story? Being cooped up myself during that initial COVID lockdown is what prompted me to write this particular story. At the time, I was living...
In The Field: Conversations With Our Contributors—Todne Thomas
Your poem, “day of the dead,” tells a story within a multi-generational family structure. Where did the inspiration for this piece come from? The inspiration for this poem came from my son. His grandfather died the year before he was born. One day in our...
In The Field: Conversations With Our Contributors—Sheila McMullin
Your poem “Thank You” blends the telling of past histories and the present conflict in a relationship, as well as imaginative statements. What was your inspiration for this poem? What was your process for blending history and imagination? “Thank You” comes from...
In The Field: Conversations With Our Contributors—Judy Kaber
Your poem that appears in Volume 27, “Cracking the Lid,” is after Lois Dodd’s painting “Lifting the Lid.” What drew you to that painting, and what sparked this piece from it? Do you often find inspiration from art? I love Lois Dodd’s work and often write ekphrastic...
In The Field: Conversations With Our Contributors—Marc Nieson
Your story “American Standards” involves a man balancing his daily corporate job, his aging mother, and his newish relationship. What sparked the creation of this story? Aptly, this story’s ‘spark’ began in a public bathroom when I took note of the...