Lost in the years of working on my sports journalism career and the pandemic, I forgot how much I loved writing poetry. As an indie author since 2018, I really enjoy the process of coming up with a new poetry book concept each time I came out with a book.

Evolution of the books over time

My first one, released in 2018, is called “colors.” I got the inspiration from Bea Miller’s trio EP-release with primary colors as the titles. This was the first time that I’d have self-published a book, though I wanted to do so years prior.

My second one, released in 2020, is called “human nature.” The inspiration behind this book came from just the nature and life around me. By this second book, I was more comfortable adding different elements to make the book a lot better.

But this third book, titled “archives from quarantine,” is so much different. This book grapples with the pandemic, diving into some heavy topics and facing uncomfortable periods of time. The inspiration behind the book is quite obvious.

However, something about this third book is just different.

‘archives’ is born

Where in the first two books there were, essentially, “happy endings,” this third book doesn’t really have one as much. It’s an ongoing reflection of myself in that I am also living and experiencing highs and lows with no particular “ending.”

I think that’s honestly the best way I could have ended the book. Even though the pandemic is still going on, there’s no “happy” or “sad” ending to it, it just is. That’s what I wanted to capture in this third book.

Something else that I wanted to capture in this book was the progression over the course of the pandemic. It kind of begins shortly before, but considering I was going through something at the time, it felt relevant to add it.

The first part begins in 2020. There’s this sort of melancholy tone that carries you through the first few months of the year. But light is shining through the cracks as there is some hope and some positivity in the opening part of the book.

The second part is set in 2021. By now, the tone shifts to more of a content kind of feeling. By now, I wanted to share the feeling of taking my power back after a treacherous 2020. This follows all the way to the end of 2021, when a sub-collection of poems focus on a particular hard topic. Then it’s back to the melancholy tone that is reminiscent of the first part of the book.

The final part, where we are now, is 2022. I want the first two poems of the final part to be open for interpretation in terms of tone and emotion. It could be content, but it could also be concern and confusion. A lot happened in the past two years that is hard to wrap your head around, so the next few poems focus on that confusion and trying to make sense of anything. There’s heartbreak, followed by power, followed by content, followed by happiness. It’s a lot, but I think it’s a great representation of how much of a rollercoaster the three years have been.

“archives from quarantine” is available for pre-order starting today. Everyone who pre-orders a copy of the book receives it three days before the official release on July 15, 2022. For information on where to purchase, click here.

Below is a teaser from the new book.

diner thoughts – January 2022

a brisk, but not biting, cold late january evening

rocketman by elton john is playing in the background of bustling silverware and busy feet

A quick food run before a night class on film studies

where we would be screening the good place

starring four souls who end up in distress after death and making it to the happiest place in the afterlife.

sitting at the bar, sharing a conversation between

a waiter and a waitress

discussing the nfl playoffs

and what teams we think will make the super bowl

i’m waiting for my mediterranean burger sliders

turkey burgers with tzatziki sauce

chips, pickle, vanilla milkshake

diner food is always a great choice at the end of a busy work day.

especially when you get the bustling diner thoughts that come with it.