BCC Shines a Light On: D. R. James
BCC Shines a Light On:
D. R. James
Name of the piece published by BCC:
When/where was it originally published:
Galway Review
Tell us more about your piece! What is the background of the piece? What led you to write it? What’s
your process?
As I recall, I was in a melancholic mood yet at peace as well. Where I live in Michigan, oncoming winter can do a gloomy number on me, but this time around what might have been gloomy seemed reassuring almost, and I was gently struck by how I felt welcomed into the new season. I began by observing outside my tall back windows onto the oak woods and recording what I saw. Then I followed that lead into a couple of near personifications that seemed to capture how I was feeling. I didn’t know I’d end up where I did.
How did you feel when it was first published and how have your thoughts or feelings on the piece changed from then to now?
Oh, I’m always thrilled when a poem gets accepted, and in this case by an Irish journal, which somehow seemed even more exciting. I still like the piece a lot—I usually do, unlike many poets’ looking back on older work—but this time around I did notice I used the word “welcome” twice! I’ve never noticed it! I don’t like that and will need to change out one of them, probably the first, but I don’t know yet with what else.
Is there a specific message you would like readers to take away from reading this piece?
No, I don’t think so. I’m not a message-imposing kind of poet.
What else would you like to tell readers about your writing? (Doesn’t have to refer only to your BCC piece)
Unlike many poets, I don’t write poems toward a “project.” I just write poems and then collect them in a book according to how they seem to want to fit together. One exception is that for my last book, Mobius Trip (Dos Madres Press 2021), I decided to write all the poems as 10 lines of 10 syllables each (what I call 10 x 10s), but that was the only orienting factor. Otherwise, poems were about whatever they were about, and then I found a way to order all the 10 x 10’s for the book.
Where can readers find more of your work? (Website/social media, etc)
Unfortunately, when you google my name, D. R. James, you get every Dr. James out there before you get me, unless you have a poem title or journal name to put with it. But you can check out where to buy my books at https://www.amazon.com/author/drjamesauthorpage
