the patter of this rooftop rhapsody
bears an ancient chorus:
"i came from the sea, i rose to the clouds,
i soared to the mountains, now i fly down.
ye all shall hear my tale again
in a soothing, silver refrain."
oh, how i wish that i could match
the eloquence of rain.
for "Versification 2022"
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1. What are the three words that describe your writing?
Hmm...this one's tricky. My writing varies but if I were to sum it all up, I'd say — fantastical, playful and maybe musical.
2. How would you describe poetry?
I kind of see poetry as a condensed form of rhythmic writing — large ideas packed down to size, blizzards in a snow-globe, starlight in a music-box...
3. Tell us about your inspirations for the Versification contest?
Like all of the writers in the contest, I simply wanted to paint pictures and tell miniature stories.
For some poems, I drew upon current affairs in the news media — the coronavirus pandemic, Putin's threats of nuclear annihilation, LGBTQIA+ rights, racial prejudice.
For other poems, I returned to my usual go-to themes — the supernatural, the natural world, science, spirituality. The Romantic poets dealt with a lot of these concepts, so I found myself reading a lot of their works for inspiration too.
4. Which one out of those 30 poems would you say was your favourite? Why?
I'd say maybe 'Thoughts of a Dying Parfumier' is my favourite. I liked the process of how it all came about and the final result.
So initially, it was half the length of what it is now. I mean, it was still eight lines long but they were very short lines. Then I decided to rearrange things and elaborate upon the concepts of inflorescence, desire and death.
I'm glad I did that because it's much more colourful and thought-provoking now. This idea of living and loving to the maximum, given our finite time on earth, both thrills and terrifies me.
5. What's your favourite kind of poetry?
Hmm...another tricky question. I think any poem that captivates me or makes me revisit it over the years is my favourite kind of poem.
I do find myself going back to certain sonnets by John Keats and some confessional pieces by Sylvia Plath. Keats and Plath have a certain way with rhythm, flow and imagery that can be so cathartic yet so tragic at the same time. Maybe their life struggles have something to do with that too.
6. What is something you wish more poets would do?
I'm not actually sure. Every poet is their own storyteller in their own way. Some play with complex symbols, while others use more straight-forward imagery. Some are overtly political while others make more subtle references.
I think there's space for every type of poet. Each person is free to practise their craft and express themselves however they wish.
7. If you could meet one poet, dead or alive, who would it be?
Probably John Keats. He trained in medicine but gave it all up for a literary career. As a pharmacy student myself, I would've loved to pick his brain about the sciences, spirituality, philosophy and poetry. He passed away at 25 from tuberculosis, which is easily cured with antibiotics nowadays. If only he knew of all the medical advances humankind has made since then.
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Thank you for chatting with us!
If you want to read their works, visit them at WinterlyHeights.
Until next time!
