Ben Atkinson grew up in western Pennsylvania and currently resides in Jacksonville, Fla., with his wife and two young children. A poet with a PhD in wildlife ecology and conservation, he struggled to strike a balance between his scientific research and artistic pursuits. As a young father and husband, he set aside his passion for poetry for more than a decade, under the mistaken belief that he had to choose between a career in science and one in the arts. He rediscovered his poetic voice three years ago, and after reading his debut collection, Spider Lightning, you will be glad that he did. Ben stopped by Scribbler's Corner at River of Grass to kick off our second season, share a little poetry, and talk about his evolution as a polymath.