There’s No Poetry In Being Alone

Loneliness may inspire poetry. Isolation may be a good time to write poetry. But there’s nothing poetic about the feeling of being alone.

My image was used on the cover of a book entitled I Made You to Find Me by Jane Hedley.

When the designer asked to use my image for a book on poetry, I wondered if they’d really comprehended my title and accompanying text. I realised the words “poetry” and “typewriter” brought them to my image. I just felt that my title did not exactly paint ponies for poetry.

I decided that it probably made no difference to them. I have always insisted my work should be read for the individual and that there is no correct method of interpretation. However, I have a volatile memory and forget to be myself at times. So I was eventually content knowing everybody would see it from a different perspective and no title could change that.

Much, much later on I received a package in the mail from Ohio, USA. I sat down and scratched my head for a little while wondering what it might be. I could have just torn it open, but for some reason we peculiar beings take a moment, don’t we?

When I found myself staring into a photograph I had captured (one which I’d never actually printed), I finally allowed myself to see it as an object and an idea. Not only had I not been open to ideas outside my own selfish thoughts, but I had never really comprehended my own title.

No sooner than I had set eyes upon the contents of the package, I realised the very nature of the author’s work, I Made You to Find Me, illustrated the connection to my image.