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Author Statement
This work is by far my most intense writing experience and takes its own form and meaning. Writing this book was both a pleasure and a horror. It is pleasurable to conceptualize and actualize the vision for a body of work, but the process of birthing is also a horror.
This book is a three part collection of poems, a poet-philosopher’s musing which explores the concept of being, green and ing as rhyming words and as different entities. A common thread runs through the fabric of these three parts and this is the present and progressive force of nature, of reality and of things.
3 Questions
Yewande Adebowale
INK: What most inspires you to write?
Y.A.: The truth is this, I write for an audience of one. Writing is the way I make sense of my emotions and of life. For the longest time, it has been my safe space and superpower. It is with ink and paper that I bleed and am free. It is in these lines and verses that I feel most seen and heard.
INK: What does your writing routine look like?
Y.A.: I begin with a moment of stillness and then give expression to my inmost thoughts. It is in the quiet moments when the noise of the world is silenced that I can truly hear that which seeks to find expression through me. I embrace the chaos of the first draft and allow time to pass. My writing routine is a tribute to slowness and to time.
INK: Name a favorite poem you feel everyone should read and why.
Y.A.: A poem I truly love, written by Sakshi Narula, titled “Poet.” This poem is a tribute to all poets, particularly the tortured, the misunderstood, and the overlooked. Definitely a must read.
Q&A with C.W. Bryan
C.W. Bryan: One of my favorite aspects of reviewing poetry is experiencing the way each author experiments with form. I don’t think that I’ve read an entire collection in which each poem was centered, but I enjoyed the near waterfall momentum it provided. Is there a particular reason you write fully centered, as opposed to the traditional left-adjusted?
Y.A.: I write fully centered to create a visual intimacy that draws readers in, enhancing the emotional weight of each poem. This format fosters a rhythmic flow, inviting contemplation and reflection. The centered layout challenges conventions, allowing the words to resonate in a unique, immersive experience that feels both personal and profound.
C.W. Bryan: I noticed in a lot of your poems the rhetorical questions play a thematic and important role. Or perhaps you don’t think of them as rhetorical at all. Do you feel these questions help engage the reader and writer in a dialogue? If not, what role do you think they play?
Y.A.: Rhetorical questions serve as gateways, inviting both the reader and writer into a deeper dialogue. They provoke thought and reflection, creating space for the exploration of complex emotions and ideas. Rather than seeking answers, these questions encourage introspection, allowing the poem to resonate on multiple levels and fostering a shared experience.
C.W. Bryan: You employ infinitive verbs throughout the entire collection—the poem, To Be, To Do, To Have naturally comes to mind. I really loved this choice. Infinitive verbs, of course, do not have tenses, and even the word “infinitive” seems to add a certain timelessness, or endlessness, to the poems, like even though the physical poem is over, the idea of it still continues on ad infinitum. How do you think about the infinitive in your poetry, or verb tense as a poetic device?
Y.A.: Incorporating infinitive verbs in poetry serves to create a sense of timelessness and universality, allowing themes to resonate beyond specific contexts. This choice emphasizes potentiality and continuity, inviting readers to engage with abstract concepts. By eschewing tense, the infinitive fosters an open dialogue, enhancing the poem’s philosophical depth and enduring relevance.
