Interview with Karen Craigo
What mission are you on with your words?
A lot of my writing is about thinking things through, and the rest of it is about pinning down some beauty that I don't want to lose. When I sit down in front of a page, I'm either captivated by some unexpected gorgeousness I've encountered through my kids, or I'm puzzled and working to find truth. Honestly, writing goes best when I'm communing with my spirit instead of trying to be clever. Sometimes — most of the time? — it's a very uncomfortable conversation.
What work first influenced you? What current writers turn your heart into language?
A first influence — that's a very hard question! Dr. Suess's rhymes are cemented in me, of course, and then I graudated to Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew. My first favorite poets were the Romantics, followed by Richard Hugo and John Berryman and Louise Gluck and lots of others. I've always read anything and everything I could get my hands on, so my influences are somewhat widespread. Same goes for today — I always have my nose in a litmag or a new collection. My very favorite poet? Well of course Carl Phillips. I'm a big fan of how he is simultanously bold and very earnest. Seeing him read in person was life-changing, or at least art-changing.