Sometimes you do have to laugh to keep from crying. And sometimes the world feels all right and good and kind of like it's becoming nice again around you. And you realize it, and realize how happy you are in it, and you just gotta laugh.

When I'm writing flawed characters, I just think about my own flaws.

Seems like every time life starts straightening itself out, something's gotta go and happen.

I'm still afraid. I'm still afraid every day.

I think I'd rather have my heart broke than do the breaking. —Lena

I've learned about marrying poetry and prose and making both accessible.

As a poet who has the tools for interpreting the poem differently, you can begin to deconstruct it. But the human being who's like, "I know about conversation, I know about language, I know about hard times," will approach the poem differently.