By Maya Thomas
Ed Palmer took the time to respond to Maya’s questions over email and give us some insight into the GCDPS program from the mentee’s perspective. He worked with Distinguished Poet Gideon Young in the eastern region and will be reading from his work Thursday April 23rd at 5 PM in the Joyner Library’s Faulkner Gallery at ECU. Thank you for sharing your experience and craft insights with us, Ed!
Edward Anthony Palmer is a poet and digital artist residing in Southeastern North Carolina. He has two previously published poetry collections, Subconscious Still Frames, and Extween of Between that are no longer in print. Edward has been writing since an English teacher in high school inspired him. Mostly self-taught, Edward is always trying new styles of poetry to keep his writing fresh. Edward has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Telecommunications and has had his art and poetry published in Suburban Witchcraft Magazine. His digital art piece “Wailing Soul,”was selected for the cover of the Doomer Anthology. You can see his artwork and more poetry at https://geminiskies.com. Edward lives with his loving wife, Kimberly, Service Dog ARROW, and pet dog Poe. Follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
Congratulations on being a Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Program mentee!
How did you become interested in poetry, and when did you begin writing poetry?
I started writing poetry in high school. I had a teacher who assigned our class with what she
called, “Writing Workshop.” We had a certain amount of writing that needed to be done at certain times of the quarter. I started to enjoy the assignment and I kept going from there. I produced more than she asked for on several occasions and I never stopped writing poetry after her class.
You worked with the poet Gideon Young on a poem called “Sonnet of a Song.” The poem contains a lot of auditory imagery, such as in the lines, “Revolving record – snap and crackle turn smokey voice flutters in between hisses…” Is sound a large part of your creative process?
Yes, working with Gideon has been amazing! He is insightful and offers great ideas that assist in strengthening my writing chops. His feedback has been extremely helpful in completing some poems that I have been working on for a while now. I am so happy to be a part of the Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet program! I absolutely believe that the sound of a poem when read aloud is as important as maintaining structure when I am writing in form. I write in form when the poem that is in my head calls for it, or if I want to challenge myself. I believe that some of the best song writers could be amazing poets as well. You won’t catch me watching much television. I usually listen to music while I work on my writing and images.
How has your experience in the Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Program changed your work or writing process?
Working with Gideon Young has made a direct impact on my writing because he has been
straightforward and honest in his assessments of my work. I love feedback and I know a lot of
people who write that never get it. The Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Program has offered me the opportunity to work with an amazing mentor in Gideon, and learn about different styles of poetry that I have not worked in.
You are a photographer in addition to being a poet. How has your photography influenced your poetry? How has your poetry influenced your photography?
I love my camera and when I photograph something as it is. Later, when I look at the image
sometimes it appears to be something else that I did not intend. Then I utilize my digital art skills to bring what I see in the image to life. I think if you’re a poet, you see things from a different light than people who do not write. In photography, you snap a moment in time. In poetry, it is not much different. My poetry works in conjunction with my art. Some things are better said without words.
I really appreciate that one of your goals is to destigmatize mental illness. How does this goal live within your work, and why is it important to you?
Great question. As a person with an invisible disability and a Service Dog, destigmatizing mental illness is a major goal of mine in my writing and art. Most of the confusion that comes with someone who is having an episode is due to people not understanding what that person may be feeling at the time. Or what that person may need. 1 in 5 adult Americans suffer from a mental illness and a lot of them never get treated. I want to bring this conversation to the forefront of our society. People need to know that “It’s okay to not be okay.” Seeking help from a doctor should not be looked down upon. We need to start praising people who stand up for themselves and say, “I’m not okay right now, I need help.” This takes a lot of intestinal fortitude to ask for assistance, but it is worth it. I work as a Certified Peer Support Specialist here in North Carolina and I work on destigmatizing mental illness daily.
How does living on the coast of North Carolina inspire your work?
Everyday is a blessing and living on the coast has been a dream of mine for a long time. My wife Kim and I moved from Maryland to Wilmington during Covid (2020). The pure beauty of
Brunswick County ended up calling us, and we moved out to a more rural area where we love it! Being surrounded by the sheer beauty of Southeastern North Carolina has so much for me to photograph and write about. I don’t see me running out of themes of beauty in this area!
Which poets/writers influence your work or are you interested in?
I am a huge Edgar Allan Poe fan. I also enjoy reading Rumi and Shel Silverstein. Rainer Maria
Rilke also intrigues me. I enjoy reading poets that are emerging as well. I also look at song
writers as poets. Some of my favorites are Chris Cornell, Stick Figure, and several different Rock and Hip Hop artists as well.
Lastly, what are your future plans with poetry? Are there any upcoming events or publications that you will be a part of?
My plans are to keep writing! I love to write and plan to do so until they pull the pen from my
stiff fingers. I have several pieces out now for consideration and should be hearing soon. I am a
finalist in the A.R. Ammons Award.