How does a poet maintain the mind frame of…well, a poet? When you are also a parent, an employee, a homeowner, a student, or all of the above, it may seem impossible to stay observant of the things around you and plugged into your own emotional responses.

Remember: Poetry is about taking the mundane and elevating it. It’s about drawing new and surprising conclusions about life that will make readers see things in an unfamiliar light. Therefore, it’s important to maintain a poetic sensibility even while you’re carting your kids to soccer practice or mowing the lawn.