This book began as a response, or at least the notice of a response to other works, where a piece in Poetry Magazine described a literary genre, where writers created works of art based on other works of art, like movies, books, paintings, poetry, etc. This genre was known as After. Many items refer to the political landscape after 9/11 and so on. I think often, as writers or creators, we are inspired by other things. And if nothing else, our moods come first and then our work gladly takes off.