Author at the Shore—M. P. Slaughter

When I first met Melany she was covering an event for the Gazette-Journal in Gloucester, VA, where she has worked as a reporter for the past seven years. The event was a local book festival in which Mermaid Cove was participating. A few weeks later I was delighted to hear from Melany when she contacted me to submit her poetry manuscript. I will say I was very touched by this collection of poems which centers around the loss of her grandmother who passed away from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. Her poetry is deep and heartfelt, allowing the reader to be drawn into her grief and even her healing. Most of Melany’s collection centers on her walk through grief, from immediate aftermath through the first year of loss. Her stage of healing and moving forward in her life rounds out the full collection.

I sat down with Melany in preparation for a future appearance on our Mermaid’s Tale Podcast, and we discussed the unfolding of her first poetry collection, Until the Cardinals Carry Me Home.

If you could describe your collection in three words, what would they be?

Heartbreaking, hopeful, spiritual

Which poem was the most emotionally challenging to write, and why?

The most emotionally challenging poem I wrote was “What I Said at Your Funeral (What I wish I said at your funeral).” It is a complete deconstruction of the eulogy I wrote for MawMaw. There are so many things I wish I could have said during that time. I wish I had been able to call out the preacher for chewing gum during the service. I wish I could have told my family that the end of my grandmother’s life felt like the end of mine too. I wish I had been able to tell people I knew I would be struggling for a long time, maybe forever. The experience of writing this poem was very freeing and cathartic for me, even though it forced me to revisit one of the hardest days of my life.

Is there a poem in the book that feels like the “heart” of the collection?

“Divine Love” feels like the heart of the collection for me. I was able to express my grief over her death, my gratitude for her life, and the faith that I will one day see her again, all in that one poem.

What do you hope readers will carry with them after reading your work?

I hope readers will realize that they are loved and needed. I hope readers will be able to know that they can grow resilience. If I could do it, anyone can.

Who are the poets or writers that inspire you the most?

That’s a tall order! I read so much and so widely, but I will give it a try.

Poets: Tracy K. Smith, Mary Oliver, Alice Walker, Ada Limon, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson

They are all so detailed in their descriptions from everyday life to life’s greatest triumphs. I will forever be grateful for their words.

Novelists: Matt Haig (he wears his heart on his sleeve and is a champion for mental health); S.A. Cosby (he has given me the inspiration to dream big); and Emily Bronte (Wuthering Heights is my favorite book. I am forever fascinated by gothic literature).