By Kathryn Millhorn
Poet Robert Frost found inspiration in the world around him. As he once said “a poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness…Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.”
Pacific Northwest native Chris Siegfried has long chronicled life through poetry. Whether during his time pitching for the Chicago Cubs baseball organization, as a contestant on ABC’s ‘The Bachelorette’, or successfully winning the heart of Desiree Hartsock, he uses these poems as a way to process and a roadmap of experience.
Siegfried, an employee of HomeStreet Bank, currently lives in Seattle with his fiancée. Originally from McMinneville, Oregon, he attended the University of Portland before leaving for a stint as a professional baseball player with the Cubs. Throughout this busy and exciting time, he found writing helped as a “journal or record-keeping” outlet and that life “flowed through poetry.”
When approached by a scout to appear on a television reality show, he realized that he was “in a position in life where it was OK to take that time” and couldn’t pass up the experience. It turned out to be a life-changing event where he successfully courted and won the hand of Desiree Hartsock, with whom he is currently engaged to be married.
This whole experience led to the creation of a book entitled ‘Diamonds and Hearts: A Poetic Memoir.’ It includes over 40 poems showcasing Chris’s original poetic journal entries as well as postcards to him from Desiree sent from around the world. Their lives, television journey, and newfound togetherness are beautifully illustrated. The original printing came out in mid-August and a new Christmas edition hit shelves at the end of November.
Chris has worked for HomeStreet Bank for the past 18 months and is grateful for their sponsorship of this book. HomeStreet is based in Seattle and has been part of the local landscape since 1921. They were recently recognized by the Puget Sound Business Journal as one of the Top 25 Corporate Philanthropists and one of the Vancouver Business Journal’s ‘Fastest Growing’ companies. Within the community, they are a long-time sponsor of the YWCA of Seattle-King County and many other humanitarian organizations.
Thursday, December 19, Chris and Desiree will be signing books at the Olympia branch of HomeStreet Bank. The first 100 people who attend will receive a free book. For questions about the event, please call 360-438-4200. Light refreshments will be provided and photos allowed with a suggested donation to Toys for Tots. The event runs from 5-7 p.m. and space is limited. Additional copies and formats of their books are available online via their website.
Seldom is a boy-meets-girl story so clearly presented, from first meeting through engagement and the beginning of a new life together. ‘Diamonds and Hearts’ is more than the name of a book, it illustrates the steps taken so far on this amazing journey of love.
