I am an emerging poet living in Tucson, AZ, with my wife, Maria Garcia, a talented graphic and pattern designer. My chapbook, “Aria,” is available on Amazon.

I’ve been writing, off and on, most of my adult life. It wasn’t until 2022, however, at the tender age of 66, that I turned to poetry. I can’t say why it took me so long to take a stab at the genre, but I can say, as one who is not especially chatty, I am drawn to the brevity of a poem; the challenge to say something significant in as few words as possible (while trying to touch the reader on an emotional level) is very appealing. And when you add music to the combination, it can be a very potent mix.

Just to be clear: I am not adding music to my existing poems. Songs and poems are two separate animals, as Stephen Sondheim was quick to point out whenever an interviewer said his lyrics were like poems. My lyrics are written with the intention that music will go with them. Music is like an intravenous tube plugged directly into the heart. It can put the listener in an emotional state before the words are even spoken. I always liked the analogy made by Drew Barrymore’s character in the movie, “Music and Lyrics,” when she explains how the two work together: “A melody is like seeing someone for the first time. The physical attraction. Sex. But then, as you get to know the person, that’s the lyrics. Their story. Who they are underneath. It’s the combination of the two that makes it magical.”