What inspired you to write “Don Juan,” “soiled,” and “Midnight Mass”?

These poems came out of a transitional time in my life. I’d spent a few years caught in the grind of city living—working hard, staying out late—and eventually found myself needing to step away from that pace. I returned to the South to read and write. While I don’t regret that earlier time, it was too chaotic to reflect much. Writing these poems became a way of revisiting those years with a bit more clarity and care.

Of the three, “Don Juan” probably speaks most directly to that moment of shift. It’s about the strange tension of outgrowing something while also feeling like you’ve been outgrown. “soiled” and “Midnight Mass” circle similar territory—the former leans more toward regret, the latter toward cynicism—but they all reflect how emotionally layered change can be.

Was there anything unique or striking about the writing or research process?

I have a bad habit—one I’m still trying to decide whether I like—of drafting a poem and then abandoning it for years. That was the case with these. I sketched them out a long while ago, and it took me years to return and finish them. Maybe I just procrastinate. But sometimes I also just need time to figure out what I really think or feel about a subject. That could take a couple weeks. Sometimes a couple years.

Have you read anything recently that you’d like to recommend to readers?

Always. One of my favorite poets is Frank Stanford, and I recommend his comprehensive collection What About This to everyone. But also, the great C.D. Wright—who was one of Stanford’s early champions and a powerful voice in her own right—has a comprehensive collection coming out soon, The Essential C.D. Wright. Everyone should read her too.

Where can we learn more about you and your work?

You can visit my site at JavierSandoval.me, or find me on Instagram at @JavierWantsCandy, where I post writing tips, reading recs, and the occasional rant about language or snacks.