If I were to share my experience with emerging poets, I'd distill it down to the following:
• Read poetry by many different poets who write in many different styles.
• Write because you truly want to write. Poetry is a labour of love. It is not about financial gain.
• Persist, persist, persist! The rest will naturally follow.
Showing posts with label Fern G. Z. Carr. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fern G. Z. Carr. Show all posts
Thursday, 9 May 2019
Thursday, 2 May 2019
Fern G. Z. Carr : part five
What are you working on?
I have recently finished working with my publisher, Silver Bow Publishing, on the release of my poetry collection, Shards of Crystal. I am therefore currently focussing on readings and sharing my poetry with others.
I'm still submitting my work to journals and anthologies worldwide which I do on a regular basis. That is in addition to my ongoing personal challenge to be published in all fifty USA states. (I've been published in most of them so far but am working towards fifty.)
I've always composed foreign language poetry and will often translate it into English. I'll sometimes start with one of my English poems and then translate it into another language. My preference though is to write the poem in my language or languages of choice and then translate it into English. It seems to come across as more genuine that way.
All that said, I am attempting to write more poetry in Mandarin. It is such a great language. Typing the Chinese characters on the computer can tend to be pretty time-consuming though.
I have recently finished working with my publisher, Silver Bow Publishing, on the release of my poetry collection, Shards of Crystal. I am therefore currently focussing on readings and sharing my poetry with others.
I'm still submitting my work to journals and anthologies worldwide which I do on a regular basis. That is in addition to my ongoing personal challenge to be published in all fifty USA states. (I've been published in most of them so far but am working towards fifty.)
I've always composed foreign language poetry and will often translate it into English. I'll sometimes start with one of my English poems and then translate it into another language. My preference though is to write the poem in my language or languages of choice and then translate it into English. It seems to come across as more genuine that way.
All that said, I am attempting to write more poetry in Mandarin. It is such a great language. Typing the Chinese characters on the computer can tend to be pretty time-consuming though.
Thursday, 25 April 2019
Fern G. Z. Carr : part four
How do you know when a poem is finished? Do you have a social group or writers group that you work ideas and poems with?
I don't believe that a poem is ever finished. Instead, I would say that while a poem might appear to be complete at a certain point in time, given some distance, there is always room for change.
On average, I typically do at least seven different "final" drafts of a poem before I'd even consider it done. I sometimes will share it with friends and family because I enjoy hearing their interpretation. Often, their take on what I've written isn't necessarily what I intended. That subjectivity though is a fundamental part of the beauty and pleasure of poetry.
I don't believe that a poem is ever finished. Instead, I would say that while a poem might appear to be complete at a certain point in time, given some distance, there is always room for change.
On average, I typically do at least seven different "final" drafts of a poem before I'd even consider it done. I sometimes will share it with friends and family because I enjoy hearing their interpretation. Often, their take on what I've written isn't necessarily what I intended. That subjectivity though is a fundamental part of the beauty and pleasure of poetry.
Thursday, 18 April 2019
Fern G. Z. Carr : part three
How important is music to your poetry?
Music is exceptionally important to me as a poet. Writing and music are all parts of a whole. Poetry is music and music is poetry – rhythm, tone, dynamics, etc. They are just different means of expression.
As a long-time pianist and chorister, some of my work definitely has been influenced by music. I was very honoured to have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize by The Worcester Review for my poem, "Cool Jazz". I wrote that poem on a music staff so as to mimic a page of sheet music.
Music is exceptionally important to me as a poet. Writing and music are all parts of a whole. Poetry is music and music is poetry – rhythm, tone, dynamics, etc. They are just different means of expression.
As a long-time pianist and chorister, some of my work definitely has been influenced by music. I was very honoured to have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize by The Worcester Review for my poem, "Cool Jazz". I wrote that poem on a music staff so as to mimic a page of sheet music.
Thursday, 11 April 2019
Fern G. Z. Carr : part two
How does your work first enter the world?
An idea will pop into my mind at any time of day or night and demand to be transformed into a poem. Some poems are more tenacious than others and will keep nagging me until I write them. Others are content to reside in my notebook of ideas until the mood is right and I'm able to do them justice.
An idea will pop into my mind at any time of day or night and demand to be transformed into a poem. Some poems are more tenacious than others and will keep nagging me until I write them. Others are content to reside in my notebook of ideas until the mood is right and I'm able to do them justice.
Thursday, 4 April 2019
Fern G. Z. Carr : part one
Honours include: being cited as a contributor to India's Prakalpana Literary Movement; having had her work taught at West Virginia University; having a Juno-nominated musician set her poetry to music and perform it; and an online feature in The Globe and Mail. Her poem, “I Am”, was chosen by the former Parliamentary Poet Laureate as Poem of the Month for Canada.
Carr's debut poetry collection, Shards of Crystal (Silver Bow Publishing, 2018) is available on Amazon.
Carr is thrilled to have one of her poems currently orbiting the planet Mars aboard NASA’S MAVEN spacecraft. www.ferngzcarr.com
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Keith Levit Photography
Why is poetry important?
Poetry is an intrinsic part of our culture. That said, its definition is somewhat elusive. What strikes one person as "poetry" or "poetic" can mean something entirely different to someone else. Yet, despite the form or interpretation, I have always maintained that poetry is compact story-telling. As such, it is an integral part of who we are as a people.
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