Marian Leibold published her book entitled Forever Now: The Interconnectedness of All Things with Modern Memoirs in 2020. This collection of poetry took four months from the day she first contacted us to the day books arrived on her doorstep. We asked Leibold to reflect on what the publication process was like for her, and what it has meant to share her book with others.
1. You say that the poems in your book were written from 1980 to 2019, spanning many stages of your life. What inspired you to collect them for publication when you did? Who were your intended readers?
Marian Leibold: I have been writing all of my life, and something deep inside said it was time to offer some of my work to the world. I listened to this inner prompting. With the help of Modern Memoirs, I was able to bring together a collection of poems that speaks from my heart and my experiences. My intended readers are both those who know me (or think they do) and those who don’t. I have always found poetry a deeply personal and communicative experience. I hope those who pick up my book may find something that touches their hearts and souls and brings them into the human community all the more. I hope that my poems may serve as a two-way bridge: from the reader to their own interior, and from the reader to the outside world. Poems can function as a secret code of the human heart in all of its raw and honest forms.
2. In addition to being a writer, you are also a pianist and a painter. How have these additional forms of creative expression influenced your poetry?
Marian Leibold: Writing, piano playing, and painting are all forms of expression that actually influence each other. Imagine a three-part harmony with one finger on a pen (or computer key), another on a paint brush, and a third on a piano key! Each one informs/relates to the other, and they all come from the same deep well of creative energy that lives within me (and in all of us). It’s enjoyable to play with all three and ask: What color is this sound? What sound is this word or phrase? What word or sound is this landscape? Choosing which modality to express comes from listening and trusting that energy which has not yet taken form and letting it guide me to its source. It can be tricky sometimes, as they all seem to vibrate on the same wavelength.
Marian Leibold and her equine friend, Stitch-in-Time
3. You placed your painting “Light through the Woodlands” on the cover of your book. In beautiful autumn colors, it pictures a path lined by trees. Can you share a bit about when and how you came to paint this picture? Why did you select it for your collection of poetry?
Marian Leibold: The cover painting, “Light through the Woodlands,” is one of my favorite horseback riding trails. My equine friend and I traveled that trail together many times through every season over the past twenty years. There is no happier place for me than being on horseback in the woods. I chose it for the cover because my horse gifted me simultaneously with a connection to the earth and to the sky/heights above my reach, just as I hope my poetry may be grounding and freeing for others. The painting reminds me of the natural world and the ephemeral/spiritual world and their inseparable communion with each other.
4. Tell us more about your equestrian life since several of your poems describe rides you have taken with your horse in fields and forests. In one poem, “An August Ride,” you write, “I am transported by his spirit and his body into a world / that would be devoid / Were I to be there without him.” What makes him such a critical companion on your journey?
Marian Leibold: My horse has been a very important companion and mirror on my journey because the connection between horse and rider creates a language all of its own. My horse has been my “anam cara” (loyal friend), and over the years, a mutual, unspoken trust built up such that each ride made manifest the value of this form of communication between living beings. I feel a profound joy, a clarity of thought, and a heart full of gratitude every time I ride. A writer’s muse is not unlike a trusted horse. They both carry us places we cannot find alone. Stitch-in-Time, my horse, sadly passed away last year. I will continue to find my way to horses, for they are comrades of spirit. They bring presence, honesty, and another dimension of feedback to our personal, human experience. Without a doubt, they also bring adventure!
5. What would you say to an aspiring writer who is inhibited by the idea that she or he might not have anything original to say? How might your advice find its roots in the theme of interconnectedness?
Marian Leibold: I am now a Spiritual Director, which I practice in person and on Zoom. In this work, I have the opportunity to offer deep listening, spiritual insights, and a confidential space to anyone interested in contemplating how the mystical plays an important role in the unfolding of their life’s meaning/purpose. Before I begin each session, I pray that the person I am about to see will feel safe and free to share whatever wants to come forward, and that I will help them connect with their inner goodness. I would offer this same sentiment to writers who have yet to release their words and thoughts to others. Just as no two individuals are the same, no two written works are the same. The writings are all as unique as the hand that composes them. A writer “connects” every time a word goes onto a page. “Interconnectedness” becomes apparent over time as life’s meanderings wake us up to ourselves and to the world. I would ask an aspiring writer to be brave and to trust where their writing will take them. It will be a rich and fulfilling experience to let their light come into the world, and it is a gift that gives twice: to oneself, and to others.