R. Steve Martin
Hickory — Redhawk Publications announces the release of “You There, Reading This Poem,” a poetry collection by North Carolina writer R. Steve Martin. Spanning over three decades of work, the collection features 85 poems that explore connection, faith, memory, and the quiet moments that shape a life.
Martin, now retired, spent 36 years working in special education. His career included time in public schools in Wilmington and Hendersonville, leadership at Black Mountain Center serving individuals with severe developmental disabilities, and four years teaching in a juvenile correctional facility in Swannanoa. His lifelong focus on reaching people—especially those who felt unseen—continues in his writing.
“I first started writing when I realized no one really knew me,” Martin says. “I write to reveal my inner world and the connections I have with others, myself, and God.”
In “You There, Reading This Poem,” Martin views poetry as a way to preserve lived experience. “Poetry is an emotional photograph of a time or place,” he explains. “I can write a poem and years later read it, and I am right there in that moment—laughing or crying.” His work traces personal reflection and the shared rhythms of everyday life, grounded in the idea that what happens in one life often echoes in another.
The collection is the result of long, patient effort. “This book took me 33 years to write,” Martin notes. “Some poems came together quickly, while others took months or even years to become what they needed to be.” His process, he says, often begins with only a faint idea, allowing each poem to find its own direction over time.
Rooted in Southern storytelling, Martin’s voice relies on metaphor, personification, and a natural sense of rhythm. His poems are meant to be heard as much as read, shaped by a tradition where language conveys both meaning and music.
The book is suitable for a wide range of readers, including those who don’t usually pick up poetry. It will connect with those who value humor, reflection, and spiritual insight, as well as anyone seeking something meaningful to revisit, whether in a quiet moment alone or in shared moments.
“You There, Reading This Poem” is available now through Redhawk Publications at https://tinyurl.com/YouThereReadingThisPoem.
