Lani's Bio

I have always written something. When I was small I would draw “comics” and act out all the parts to entertain myself. As I got older, I discovered journaling. I wrote pure stream of consciousness and it saved my sanity during a rough childhood. I have no formal training as a writer. All I know about poetry, I picked up in 7th grade from a wonderful English teacher. We learned not just the classics, but also, the modern poets who were using shape and visuals. This was the late 70’s so experimentation was the rage.

WDC is a  website that is great for learning. I enjoy my time on and absorb what I can.  I have published 3 poems and one short story so I don’t know if that makes me an author or a poet but it makes me happy.  The Jane Austen/ Stephen King side of me wants to make a little money, please.

  I love E. Dickinson, E. Poe, e.e. cummimings, Shel Silverstein. Among today’s poets, I enjoy reading Casey Quinn and John Yarmus who are minimalists.

I am not comfortable giving too many identifying details over the ’net. I don’t Facebook or Twitter. I shoot my mouth off frequently enough. I’d rather my embarrassment be local and not global. That is why I use a penname; Lani. So, hi my name is Lani and I write poetry.

Lani is a Hawaiian name that means sky or heaven. I like it because its short, simple and it evokes memories of my time on the Islands. I spent some time on Oahu during my late twenties and early thirties. I grew up in the Midwest. Happiness was leaving on a jet plane as I have few fond memories of the place. Hawaii was the first place I felt truly at home and the first place that lived up to it's travel hype. I understand that it’s different these days.

Now I live in coastal South Carolina with my husband and dog. I am 55 yrs old, have hazel eyes and as Anne McCaffrey (a favorite author from my youth) was fond of saying “the rest is subject to change without notice.” Or my permission.