Friday, March 13, 2020

Talking Poetics #14 : Mary Kasimor


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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