Human beings are bombarded with stimuli. Our brains have to filter out this stimuli for us to function. People must also deal with internal states such as emotions, feelings and memories. Poetry, at least for me, is a response to these external and internal stimuli. Poetry is a way for me to categorize these stimuli into something intelligible. Further, the poem is not a solitary endeavor. It is crafted with the aforementioned stimuli, as well as the inspirations from other poets, writers and creators. All of these components meld together to create the poem. However, the attempt does not stop there. The poem is only a beginning. It begins a conversation with others. Other people, who must also interact with stimuli, and who have emotions and experiences of their own, then must interpret the poem. In some instances, the readers will create their own poems and art, and the cycle starts again.So, when you read these poems, what you are reading is so much more than words. You are reading stimuli made intelligible , specifically, the stimuli that have impacted me. You are reading the raw stuff of life, sunlight that falls on an abandoned farmhouse, the rain, a painful memory, a regret and all the other stuff of life formed into words. Angelo J. Letizia, Manchester Maryland, December 2020