1. How would you describe your writing process? Do you have any specific rituals or habits that help you get into the creative mindset?
I think my writing process is a very lived one. I can only write about the things I experience, whether in reality or in my dreams. Then, it’s only a matter of my internal self processing it, and once it’s done, out comes the poem/prose.
2. Your poetry often explores deep emotions and personal experiences. How do you balance vulnerability and self-expression in your work?
I don’t see the two as independent of one another. How does one express themselves without being vulnerable in the first place? I have to experience my emotions fully in order to write about them.
3. Are there any recurring themes or motifs that you find yourself drawn to in your poetry? If so, what do they represent for you?
I think I’m very drawn to nature, I often use it to draw parallels between my life and the other life on Earth. It gives me comfort to know that it’s all a pattern and by knowing that, I never feel alone. As for themes, I write about the intricacies of love and the dark side of our minds quite often. I feel these two concepts elicit a deep response in me and are always worth writing about.
4. Poetry is often seen as a means of social commentary. Do you feel a responsibility as a poet to address social issues in your work? If so, how do you approach it?
Absolutely. I think poets are the only bridges between the world we live in and the world we wish we lived in, without a political agenda in mind. I try to leave my readers with questions, I provoke them to think- about their choices, about what today’s world means, and what effect our choices have on it. My book has a section called “Wordly Thoughts” and that’s dedicated to my thoughts about the world.
5. Can you share an instance where a reader’s interpretation of your poem surprised you or shed new light on your own writing? How did it impact your perspective as a poet?
I was once told that my poem “Calluses” was way too scary and it shocked them that a person like me (with a pretty chilled-out exterior) could have such terrifying thoughts. At the time, I thought, “HA! Mission accomplished!”
I have bared my mind naked in my poetry and so, it’s bound to be terrifying. No person’s thoughts are always positive, I’ve just found the courage to share all of mine. It impacted me in a way that perhaps, I’m doing my work well, I’m being honest and I should continue to do that. After all, words are the key and vulnerability is the keyhole for other people to be able to enter your world.
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