Skaneateles poet releases new book

By Jason Gabak
Editor

Inspiration can come from almost anywhere.

That is something local poet Mary Gardner had learned throughout her publishing career.

Whether it has been from personal changes, such as the loss of her husband, to reflections, inspiring conversations, even her relatively recent decision to sell her home and downsize, the poet has found that the muse can come in many forms.

It was the decision to downsize that inspired her most recent collection poetry which has been published by Foothills Publishing as a chap book, titled aptly enough, “Downsizing Small Renderings, Broad Canvas.”

According to a release from the Gardner, this work was inspired by “the poet’s experience over the past two years, the poems are inspired by observing and  pondering widely different phenomena which enlightened the downsizing experience, at least metaphorically.”

The actual choice to downsize her living situation was not an easy one and the process turned out to be much more involved than Gardner initially planned, but this led to creative outlets for what she was experiencing.

“These poems are inspired by my own process,” Gardner said. “It is about that time in my life as I tried to downsize.”

After deciding to sell her home, Gardner said she was seeking a smaller home in the Village of Skaneateles but found that this was easier said than done.

After much consideration she decided to make another change in her downsizing journey and rent rather than buy a smaller home.

“It was the best decision, I am so happy, I love my home” Gardner said.

But throughout the process, Gardner channeled her feelings into her writing and compiled pieces over the course of her two year journey.

“It was a difficult time but now I am very content,” Gardner said.

While there is a literal aspect to the title and ideas behind the downsizing theme, such as moving to a smaller home, parting with items that have been collected over the years, Gardener also sought to look at the idea of smaller poems.

Included in the work,, along with several smaller renderings, are two hiakus that look at the idea of downsizing.

“I wanted to look at different ways of scaling down,” she said

While the work does explore the at times more difficult feelings that come with downsizing, Gardner said there are also lighter pieces in the collection that reflect her contentment with the changes that have come in her life since making this move.

This newest collection of poems is available locally at Skaneateles Artisans.

Gardner said she is honored that Teresa Vitale wanted to carry the book and Gardner said Skaneateles Artisans is the only shop locally where she is making the book available.

The poems collected in this book make up the third part of what Gardner ultimately decided would be a trilogy reflecting on different parts of her own personal journey.

A longtime writer, Gardner had previously published a number of articles in various health and human services journals, but she wanted to pursue her passion for poetry and in working with Foothills Publishing, Gardner said she has been impressed by the quality of the books as well as the support she has received for her work.

“It is hard to get a book of poetry published, not self published, but published,” Gardner said. “Foothills does such a wonderful job right down to the paper it is printed on.”

Gardner’s previous books of poetry include “When all Danger of Frost is Past” published in 2015, followed by “Place Settings,” which was published in 2017.

Gardner’s previous poems have appeared in many anthologies and several have won regional and national awards.

She is also an active member of the National League of American Pen Women and offers public poetry readings occasionally.

Gardner said she is always striving for excellence in her work and to find ways to convey pieces readers can connect with and she hopes in her latest collection there will be something that hits the right note with a wide variety of readers.

“I know not every poem will give every reader that feeling that they connect with it,” Gardner said. “But I hope they can find that poem they do connect with and that means something to them.”

To learn more visit Skaneateles Artisans or Foothill Publishing.