Contributor Spotlight: Joshua Hilderbrand
Joshua Hilderbrand’s poem “Not A Scratch on You” is part of Issue 82 of Bellingham Review. Subscribe or purchase a single issue through our Submittable page here.
What would you like to share with our readers about the work you contributed to Bellingham Review?
This poem is inspired by two parties: a welcome home (from active duty) party alongside a birthday party for my child. The memories of combat were still fresh. I had been prescribed the typical pharmaceuticals given to veterans diagnosed with PTS. The poem attempts to disorient the reader to place and time. I included the prescription on the edge of the poem between stanzas as an ever-present umbrella, a reflection of how I felt at the time. My recent work has been dedicated to communicating with civilians about the true cost of war and who we send to fight them. This poem is part of an unpublished chapbook tentatively titled You Ain’t the Same.
Tell us about your writing life.
On my 9th birthday, I received a typewriter from my parents, and I started writing that day—mostly short stories about kids battling ghosts or gaining superpowers. I didn’t start writing poetry until I was in my teens. I’ve kept journals for most of my life. Over the years I have become more disciplined about writing daily. Writing has become a cathartic exercise for me. It’s part of my self-care regimen and that’s what keeps me going. A recurrent theme in my writing is the observation of time in a non-linear fashion. I’m obsessed with the idea of the universe unraveling all at once. The future, the past, and the present all living on the same street.
Which non-writing aspect(s) of your life influence(s) your writing the most?
My writing is influenced by the people I have known in my life—from my old neighborhood, to the Army, to my immediate family. My work as a clinical social worker, especially concerning veterans transitioning from military to civilian life has had a profound impact on my writing. I know it’s a cliché, but I find peace in natural settings such as mountain trails, lakes, rivers, etc. Ideas seem to jump into my head when I’m in these spaces.
What writing advice has stayed with you?
“Get the work out.” -Elizabeth Vignali
What is your favorite book (or essay, poem, short story)?
This is a tough one. If I had to choose a favorite book I’d say Coming Up for Air by George Orwell. I’m a Raymond Carver fan as well. Cathedral is fantastic. My go-to collection of poetry is WARHORSES by Yusef Komunyakaa. Poets I enjoy are: Kaveh Akbar, Ada Limón, Jericho Brown, Danez Smith, Hieu Minh Nguyen, and too many to list here. I have to send love out to amazing local poets that I admire: Robert Lashley, Chris Gusta, Kami Westhoff, Rena Priest, Rachel Mehl, Taneum Bambrick, Jory Mickelson, Elizabeth Vignali, Dee Dee Chapman, and all the lovely poets and writers from the Kitchen Sessions events.
What are you reading right now?
Currently I am reading: Marvel’s The Eternals by Neil Gaiman with my daughter, The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli, and Or What We’ll Call Desire by poet Alexandra Teague.
What project(s) are you working on now, or next?
I am working on a poetry collection about the opioid epidemic happening in rural Snohomish County in Washington State, and a story about a little girl living in a haunted house.
Anything else our readers might want to know about you?
When I was around 6 years old I was in a commercial for a local politician who ran for the Governorship of Washington State. He didn’t win.
Where can our readers connect with you online?
I can be found at Joshua Hilderbrand on Facebook.
Joshua Hilderbrand is an Iraq war veteran and social worker. His poems have been nominated for Best of the Net Anthology and The Pushcart Prize. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming at Into the Void, As You Were: The Military Review, and The 15th Annual Sue C. Boynton Contest 2020 Winning Poems. He currently resides in the Pacific Northwest.
Featured Image: “False-Color Image of Galeras Volcano, Colombia” by NASA