Deborah Purdy: Poet Interview
2014 April PAD Challenge countdown: 4. Yes, I’m excited–so excited–and I just can’t hide it. As a quick FYI, we now have 29 confirmed guest judges. I hope to have…
2014 April PAD Challenge countdown: 4. Yes, I'm excited--so excited--and I just can't hide it. As a quick FYI, we now have 29 confirmed guest judges. I hope to have the list finalized by Monday. View who's already on board here.
Deborah Purdy lives in Pennsylvania where she writes poetry and creates fiber art. Originally from Virginia, she earned BA and MA degrees from Hollins University. She also has an MSLS from Clarion University. She has been a research scientist and a reference librarian. Her poems have appeared or are forthcoming in River & South Review, Apeiron Review, The Milo Review, and The Found Poetry Review.
Here's her Top 25 poem:
Holding, by Deborah Purdy
hold that ghost
like a bird
in your hand,
let your fingers
form the fleeting
wall between
now and then
beginnings and
endings,
hold lightly
like a tentative
thought but
closer than a
transient breath
then breathe
again
and let it
go
*****
Where are you located?
Pennsylvania.
Who are your favorite poets?
Mary Oliver, Joyce Sutphen, Linda Pastan, and Naomi Shihab Nye, among others.
As a reader, what do you like most in poems?
The imaginative use of language and being able to relate to what I am reading.
What were your goals for the 2013 April PAD Challenge?
I wanted to develop the habit of writing every day, and hopefully, in the process, generate a few finished poems.
What's next for you?
In addition to continuing to write and to submit for publication, I’d like to put together a collection of poems.
*****
Get your poetry published!
*****
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Content Editor of the Writer's Digest Writing Community and the author of Solving the World's Problems. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
*****
Find more poetic fun here:
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
