How I write poetry
Mary Kasimor
When
I write, what I do more than anything is to take my notebook and just to begin.
I try not to think about what I am writing, and I allow myself to write wherever
it takes me. I give myself as much creative freedom as I can. If I like some of
the words and/or lines that I write, I will save them and see what I can
create. Even though the words and lines do not necessarily relate to each
other, I find that everything is a part of the whole poem thing and I try to
make it work in a way that I find interesting and somehow connected.
I
am currently reading The Dihedrons Gazelle-Dihedrals Zoom by Leslie
Scalapino. Her work is very mystical and experimental; I love to read her
poetry—for the beauty of her poetry, and also because it loosens up the precise
use of language that creates different feelings and meaning so that I can write
creating my ideas and use of language. Actually, I read a great deal of poetry
for that reason. I do edit my work, despite trying to work with what I have
written. The beauty of my “method” is that I don’t get too hung up on my poem
being a work of literature, but more like an experiment that may open even more
possibilities in form and meaning for me. Sometimes it delights and sometimes
it doesn’t.
I
have finally come to a truce with my divided selves about writing poetry. I
have been writing for so many years, and I can’t imagine myself not writing
poetry. I have changed my perspective, however, by writing mostly for myself. I
still appreciate getting my poetry out and having people read it, but I write
more for the love of writing than for getting published. I realized not too
long ago that becoming well known would not make me happy, but would continue
to feed my discontent. I continue to
write for myself, and if anyone is interested in readying my poetry, I am very
happy to make it available to them. I often tell myself that it isn’t important
that I continue writing, but nonetheless I continue slogging along—writing as I
choose. It has made it easier for me to continue writing without any great
expectations, and I think that I am being honest about my writing.
Mary Kasimor who has been writing
poetry for many years and considers her work experimental. Her recent poetry
collections are Disrobing Iris (above/ground press 2019) Drink Me
(BlazeVox Books 2019, The Landfill Dancers (BlazeVox Books 2014), Saint Pink (Moria Books 2015), The Prometheus Collage (Locofo Press
2017), Nature Store (Dancing Girl
Press 2017) Drink Me (BlazeVox Books 2019), and Disrobing Iris (above
ground press 2019). Her poetry has been published in Word For/Word, Touch the
Donkey, Posit, Human Repair Kit, and Otoliths. She also reviews collections
of poetry.
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