During her time as a visiting artist/scholar at the
American Academy in Rome, she researched the work
of post-war novelist Elsa Morante; some of the poems
in The Old Refusals had their genesis in Italy. Germain's
work is influenced by Italian/American culture, especially
the Little Italy that was once alive in the South End of
Albany, New York, as well as Upper Midwest farm culture
and the wilderness of northern British Columbia. Ajijic,
Jalisco, Mexico has a presence in her work. In addition to
learning from poetry, she is also a visual artist.
