Coming Full Circle in 20 Years of Poetry

The Santa Barbara Writers Conference began last Sunday. The conference has been an important part of my life for the past 20 years, and I’ve participated as a volunteer, panelist, and workshop leader. The poem that launched my writing career two decades ago, “How Fire Is a Story, Waiting,” won first place at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference in 2003 and became the title poem of my first full length poetry book in 2012, published by Tía Chucha Press.

The poem is about a memory I have of my grandmother playing with the stovetop’s fire. As a child, I watched her cook, and she would tell me stories about her life and our family. One day, she showed me how she could catch the fire in her hand without burning herself. I was mesmerized, and smart enough to realize I shouldn’t try her trick. I had already gotten into trouble for playing with matches and showing my young neighbor how to light a match on the side of the matchbox. To this day, my grandmother’s words, falling into the fire, continue to be a source of inspiration.

I remember the day I workshopped the poem in Perie Longo’s class. After the workshop, she asked for a copy of the poem. I thought she was going to mark it up and give me suggestions for improving the poem. I had no idea she would nominate me to win the poetry contest at the conference. However, I do remember the confidence I received as an added bonus. The win encouraged me to try other genres, including short stories and fiction.