Jarod K. Anderson has two best-selling collections of nature poetry, Field Guide to the Haunted Forest and Love Notes from the Hollow Tree, with a third forthcoming. His literary memoir Something in the Woods Loves You (Timber Press/Hachette 2024) explores his lifelong struggle with depression through a lens of love and gratitude for the natural world. Jarod created and voices The CryptoNaturalist podcast, a scripted show about real adoration for fictional wildlife. He lives in Ohio between a park and a cemetery. Learn more at jarodkanderson.com
In what ways does nature inspire or inform your work?
Nature inspires my work in so many ways, most especially in how I approach my own mind and craft. I have springtimes of growth and productivity. I have drowsy autumns of quiet contemplation. Nature has taught me to accept my own “brain weather” and to be kind to myself. Cycles and seasons bring constant change, but there is always something new to learn and appreciate.
What does it mean to you to be part of a thriving ecosystem?
Being part of a thriving ecosystem means noticing and acknowledging the countless ways in which we rely on the organisms around us with humility and gratitude. It also means finding ways to give back, doing work that recognizes we are both garden and gardeners on this planet. There’s a sense of obligation in that idea, but I think it’s obligation rooted in love.
