Many moons ago, I heard Ray Bradbury speak at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth. I found his words inspiring, and the stories of his early struggles encouraged me as a person and as a writer. Today, more than twenty years later, I still follow the advice he gave to all of the aspiring fiction writers in the audience. "Read poetry," he said. And ever since then, I have always kept a stack of it on the night stand.
One night I might dip into the work of a Texas-affiliated poet such as Christian Wiman, Paul Ruffin, or Naomi Shihab Nye. Another night I might read a bit of Rumi or Gunter Grass or Pablo Neruda. The words and rhythms inhabit my dreams, and come morning, I am somehow better prepared to write.
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