Poetry is a kind of liberation for Diamond Valley resident Steve Genoway. “A poem can express so many aspects of personal introspection: feelings, observations, insights and curiosities. By combining words in unusual and unique ways you can create meanings that transcend the typical definitions associated with those words.”
While his themes vary, Steve has a predominant gentleness that shines through in his poems. Much of his work cover topics such as kindness, compassion, understanding and openness. “Through my studies of philosophy, metaphysics and spiritual belief systems I’ve learned that it is only through love and caring for each other that we will advance to higher realms of existence.” His poems are thoughtful but also clever, with many plays on words, internal rhymes and consonant repetitions. “I find that using internal rhyme, not just at the end of a line, opens up more variety and makes the piece more interesting and unpredictable. I also use alliteration quite a bit as I find it gives a stronger rhythmic presence to a piece, making it almost musical, with a staccato emphasis to the line.”
A self-proclaimed introvert, Steve assumed for years that no one else was interested in his creations. Eventually, he discovered open mics in the Prescott area and, despite overwhelming stage fright, has managed to share his work in the local community. Now he’s a regular at Peregrine Book Company readings. “Though I still get the jitters in front of a crowd, I do enjoy the thrill I get from presenting my work and the appreciation of those who enjoy it.”
Some poems emerge quickly for Steve. Others, not. “I’ve been blessed with striking moments of inspiration where an idea will come to me and I’ll put the whole thing down all at once. Other times I’ll hear a phrase or even just a word or two that I’ll make note of and slowly expand it over a long period. A number of my poems feel like they have never been finished as I read them again and again, and each time make subtle improvements to the flow or clarity of the piece.” He particularly enjoys when poems take on lives of their own. “Some poems start off on a subject, then morph and mutate into something else, like a stream of consciousness, a word or phrase will lead me to another line of thought that reminds me of an experience that brings me to an understanding that all things are connected in some convoluted way.”
Steve appreciates the writing of other poets, both famous and unknown. “I’ve been greatly influenced by the Beat poets: Ginsberg, Ferlinghetti, Kerouac, also Bob Dylan, EE Cummings and Shel Silverstein. I also love poets who express deep thoughts through observation: Oliver, Whitman, Rumi, Gibran, Angelou, Neruda. More importantly I have been greatly influenced by very talented poets who live in Prescott and Northern Arizona. We have a very rich garden of poetic fruits to feast upon.”
In discussing his poem “My Uni-Verse,” Steve explains, “Having a deep interest in science and cosmology, I often read about the characteristics of the universe and our discoveries of the different aspects of this incredible reality. I noticed the word verse is contained in universe. Since poems are made up of verses, I thought it would be interesting to write a poem that was all-encompassing in its scope and unifying in its message. During this period I was writing a number of poems intended to transcend the problems of our daily societal and personal woes in an effort to uplift and show a path to a happier existence.”
Now that Steve is retired, he’s hoping to concentrate on publishing more of his work. “I have wanted to put together a chapbook for quite a while, but obstacles keep getting in my way. Maybe someday.” His gentle nature continues to be reflected in his work. “Much of my thinking is meditative and introspective, and much of what I’ve written exposes questions about the disparity and injustices of the human condition, and the wonderment we can experience in the pursuit of truth, beauty and goodness. Hopefully my insights will be of benefit to others.”
To contact Steve: gentleway2@gmail.com
Dee Cohen is a Prescott poet and photographer. deecohen@cox.net.
