My earliest poetry and rhyme influences and inspirations included nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and Dr Seuss stories, all of which I had the good fortune to revisit as an adult - to read aloud to my two daughters when they were young. Now in my fifties, I still enjoy reading these works aloud to my wife, or listening to her recite them in her animated, storytelling style. Some joys never go out of style.
In my last year of high school my biggest influence was Neal Peart, R.I.P, drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush. He inspired the structure and rhyme of several poems I wrote in my late teens and early twenties.
Fast forward through the decades and most recently I have been enjoying the works of Kabir, Mary Oliver, and Hafez.
There have been long periods, even years, when I have produced no poetry, at least not that I put to paper. Got to get busy making up for lost time now! I'm quite inspired by my mid-life staring down of Death.