No known Poet and/or Author influenced me to begin writing.From as far back as i can remember i have always loved-Mother Nature-and all her darling children & critters...at a young age i was,oddly,adverse to going even near any Church;however, my deceased mother 'Dianne' made me go to Sunday School,which i abhorred!Yet every time i went inside any Church or religious center, i felt like i was Home-not as a person attending some solemn ritual.  No i felt at, home... and poetry was part of me in the aspect of Song,dance and the written word... My early poetry was meandering and childish;but my Mature work really began after reading 'Moby Dick', which unleashed my very own creative juices.  I. however, did not emulate Melville in any way , but i did utilize his descriptive use of everything holy and hellish...that gave me the motivation to cease 'pulling my punches' and just write from my heart. Other influences were Maya Angelou, William Shakespeare, Langston Hughes and many others...My mentors were Dr.Aladdin Shabazz Ph.D.,Lee Holiday,Anthroposophist-and my personal choice as teacher,Joseph Campbell ,whom i've read voraciously.  

I have a GED and some College-No awards or any other occulades.