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.