On writing poetry

When my poetry started coming to me, I had hardly anything at all to write on in the beginning. What I did have was some food boxes, from some cereal that had been sent up. And so, I turned it inside out, and wrote on it. And that began what I’m now calling The Legacy of Luna. All of the poems are written on scraps of paper, re-used cardboard, just scraps – which is what I do anyway when I write to people. I try and re-use everything that I can and live simply. And this is a creative way to do that. Sometimes this resourcefulness lends itself to more creativity. When things are too easy, I think creativity is squelched. But oftentimes, it is out of hardship and necessity that creativity is born, I believe.

…

In terms of my poetry, it’s a constant flow, and it is unbelievable for me how much has come to me up here. Before I climbed up in Luna, usually poetry would just come to me when I was having a hard time. And it was very helpful to me; it really helped me to get out the confusion and the crud, so to speak, that was inside, so that I could become a healthier person on all levels. But I don’t think it was very good for anyone else, it was more just helping me grow as a person. But now, poems come from an outside source; they come in a way that I can share with others. And hopefully people will gain something, whether it be just beauty and inspiration or a new way of looking at the world.

Radio interview with Stephen Miller, KHSU-FM, recorded while in Luna, July 2, 1999