One of my sons, a writer, urged me to broaden my audience and turn my forensic experiences into fiction instead of writing yet another book on forensic psychiatry. I gave it a try, but my arthritic thumbs protested. Poetry with its economy of words and motion then became the obvious medium. I had never written any poetry until a few years ago, and found it very gratifying. The endless play with words and quick resolutions, in contrast to the elephantine gestations of books, appealed to me.
　　
　　My work as an examiner for the Maine State Forensic Service involves a lot of driving to far-flung courthouses. The trip to Aroostook County was 10 hours round trip, but provided a window of opportunity for observations and reflections. Writing poetry has become a means of processing some of the vicarious traumas I encounter in my work and allows me to view them from many perspectives. It has also helped me deal with personal losses and those I encounter in the course of my work as a Hospice volunteer at Maine State Prison and in the community. I hope this sampling of forensic poetry may inspire the muse in readers of the Journal.
　　

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《美国精神病学与法律学报》2006年3月第34卷第1期