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I spoke with poet and writer Judith Lagana about her creative inspirations and writing her first poem. Enjoy!
LF: Do you remember writing your first poem?
JL: I do. I was in third grade and wrote a poem about Christmas for a school contest. I
won first place, received a check for $25.00 and was invited to read at a well-attended
PTA meeting. In high school, our literary magazine published my poem about walking
along the boardwalk with my grandfather “to feed the khazcki (ducks).” I recall everyone
in my family making a big deal about this poem. I mean, happy tears were shed and my
aunt kept a copy of it on her refrigerator for years.
LF: Who are some of your favorite poetic influences?
JL: Poets Peter Murphy and Stephen Dunn immediately spring to mind. I was a
participant in several of their workshops back in my twenties. Their impact and
encouragement remains with me till this day. Diane Seuss’s FRANK, the entirety of it,
broadened my sense of craft and imagery. Three contemporary poems that not only
delight me but spur me creatively–I re-read them periodically–are Jason
Schneiderman’s “In the End You Get Everything Back (Liza Minelli); Alex Dimitrov’s
“Someone in Paris, France is Thinking of You”; and Caroline Barnes’ “A Story.”
LF: Could you describe your creative process for writing poetry?
JL: I write, if not every day, then most days. I refer to this as showing up. When I first
get to work, I may be thinking about how good my coffee tastes or how pretty the hills
look in the distance. But once I get going, I feel like I’m channeling. My job is to get out
of my own way and let the words and lines pour onto the screen or across the page. As
I work on a poem, I’ll return to it time and time again to layer it with more concise
language and imagery. I also read my work aloud as I revise. It helps to hear the rhythm
and flow.
LF: At what point do you decide to stop revising your work?
JL: I have at times over-revised. I recognize that if a poem loses its energy and voice
then I’ve gone too far. Instinctually, I sense when a poem is finished, especially after I
have worked out elements of organization, imagery, and conciseness.
LF: What are you working on now?
JL: I’m wrapping up one project and embarking on new ones.
LF: Why is poetry important in the world?
JL: It offers an emotional respite, be it delight, comfort, or an opportunity to self-reflect.
LF: What do you hope readers take away from your poems?
JL: A touch of emotion. A moment of connection.
LF: Do you remember writing your first poem?
JL: I do. I was in third grade and wrote a poem about Christmas for a school contest. I
won first place, received a check for $25.00 and was invited to read at a well-attended
PTA meeting. In high school, our literary magazine published my poem about walking
along the boardwalk with my grandfather “to feed the khazcki (ducks).” I recall everyone
in my family making a big deal about this poem. I mean, happy tears were shed and my
aunt kept a copy of it on her refrigerator for years.
LF: Who are some of your favorite poetic influences?
JL: Poets Peter Murphy and Stephen Dunn immediately spring to mind. I was a
participant in several of their workshops back in my twenties. Their impact and
encouragement remains with me till this day. Diane Seuss’s FRANK, the entirety of it,
broadened my sense of craft and imagery. Three contemporary poems that not only
delight me but spur me creatively–I re-read them periodically–are Jason
Schneiderman’s “In the End You Get Everything Back (Liza Minelli); Alex Dimitrov’s
“Someone in Paris, France is Thinking of You”; and Caroline Barnes’ “A Story.”
LF: Could you describe your creative process for writing poetry?
JL: I write, if not every day, then most days. I refer to this as showing up. When I first
get to work, I may be thinking about how good my coffee tastes or how pretty the hills
look in the distance. But once I get going, I feel like I’m channeling. My job is to get out
of my own way and let the words and lines pour onto the screen or across the page. As
I work on a poem, I’ll return to it time and time again to layer it with more concise
language and imagery. I also read my work aloud as I revise. It helps to hear the rhythm
and flow.
LF: At what point do you decide to stop revising your work?
JL: I have at times over-revised. I recognize that if a poem loses its energy and voice
then I’ve gone too far. Instinctually, I sense when a poem is finished, especially after I
have worked out elements of organization, imagery, and conciseness.
LF: What are you working on now?
JL: I’m wrapping up one project and embarking on new ones.
LF: Why is poetry important in the world?
JL: It offers an emotional respite, be it delight, comfort, or an opportunity to self-reflect.
LF: What do you hope readers take away from your poems?
JL: A touch of emotion. A moment of connection.
