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Since I was a teenager in High School, I've always enjoyed writing. When I was 16, I was awarded first place in a writing contest with a short story about post-apocalypse sports entertainment called Ice Hockey 2001. The story was quite warped, and many teachers and parents expressed concern for my mental health after it was circulated around the district in the school newsletter the following month. You could just hear the comments echoing through the teachers room: "Those LaGarry kids! . . ." (being the last of four equally demented siblings). The important thing was, the writing judge liked the story, and chose mine over the only other entry. I think I spent the $10 winnings in the Potsdam video arcade playing Battle Zone.

I took great pride in writing unique and unusual passages in my friends school yearbooks, even for people I barely recognized. Most people, in an attempt to suddenly reveal their hidden admiration for you, would write something lame like, "Darin, to a good friend. Good luck in the future. AFA, Bob". Come on, what is that!? I could have made millions selling rubber stamps to high school seniors with that freeze-dried autograph attached! For some reason, I felt a need drift above the ordinary into the translucent orange clouds of entropic thought. As a result, my writings were sometimes funny, but most of the time just plain weird.

It wasn't until recently that I decided to get serious about writing, and the result is this book. Most, if not all of the work within was written beneath the canopy of pine trees at my apartment on Beam Hill in Dryden, NY. Many of the musings were developed during quiet walks through the state forests nearby, hence the commemorative title.

Each poem explores an impression that I felt, either directly or indirectly through my friends and family. Each is a completely separate entity, and I have attempted to create a distinct atmosphere for each poem and image. When reading this book, try to eliminate distractions and immerse yourself in each presentation. My hope is that you will experience an impression as vivid as my own, although you are free to explore the impression in your own unique fashion.

The majority of the poems in this collection deal with the dark side of human nature. I found this a very easy topic to write about. I think most of us spend the majority of our time defending ourselves from the darkness, which can be rather distracting. For a time I lowered my defenses and allowed myself to become engulfed by my fears, which resulted in some pretty depressing material. On the positive side, I understood my adversary much better after the ordeal. As a result I feel the onslaught has lessened considerably. Perhaps some of my work will help you face and defeat some of the darkness that surrounds you.

Darin LaGarry, 1993

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