Sometimes when minutes feel longer than they should, it's enough to take a breath and hold it as long as possible, to truly exist in the silence and stillness, if only for a short moment before taking that next breath. Margaret Koger's poem, "The Way," explores this notion, and will be available to read January 2021 in the print collective! Until then, I'm excited to chat about Margaret’s pages penned in pandemic.
What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?
Numbers are rocketing up.
What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?
Nine Gates by Jane Hirshfield and Writing the Australian Crawl by William Stafford.
Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?
PBS News.
How has the pandemic affected your writing?
I've increased my writing and connections with poetry friends.
Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?
My chapbooks and keeping fresh submissions going.
If asked ten years from now what the past few months have taught you about being a writer, what would come to mind?
Loneliness leads to effort.
Have there been any fellow writers or people in your life who have helped you stay connected during the pandemic?
Oh yes. Live Poets group as well as Poetry in the City of Trees.
Is there anything that excites you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?
Fabulous opportunities to share feelings and thoughts.
Is there anything that worries you about the changes being incited in the publishing world in light of recent events?
Hoping writers will be recognized more by the general population.
Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between? Has this changed during the pandemic?
I write as a free person paying attention to what's happening in the world. I've been more active and had many poems published this last few months.
Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?
My office, which has not changed during the pandemic.
If you curated a playlist for writing life in the pandemic, what top 5 songs would be on your list?
Holst The Planets:
1.) “Mars The Bringer of War”
2.) “Venus the Bringer of Peace”
3.) “Mercury, the Winged Messenger”
4.) “Jupiter the Bringer of Jollity”
5.) “Uranus, The Magician”
Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite scene or poem you've written since the pandemic began?
Poem and Scene: Found in the Nature Center. It's been a life-saver to be able to walk there and observe the baby wildlife born in the spring, the fullness of summer, and now the beauty of fall. The center is next to the Boise River with so many birds.
While the future is just as unknowable as ever, what is something you are most looking forward to this year?
Hoping to be able to hug my family members and to travel abroad. We're missing our trips to Europe where we usually spend weeks on the beach and sightseeing.
Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?
I would give William Stafford's guidance--a writer is someone who starts a process of trying to say something that is fulfilled by writing. Be not afraid. Be free in your thoughts, pay attention to things around you, and write them and your feelings about them down on the page.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I'm hopeful that we'll achieve a better balance of wealth and power in America.
ABOUT Margaret koger
Margaret Koger is a Lascaux Prize finalist. She's a school media specialist with a writing habit who lives near the river in Boise, Idaho and writes to add new connections to the wayward web of life. See poems on: Amsterdam Quarterly, Thimble, Trouvaille Review, Tiny Seed Literary Journal, Ponder Savant, Subjectiv, and Last Leaf.
To learn more, follow Margaret and her writing journey on Facebook.
Thanks for chatting, Margaret!
