Happy National Poetry Month! And let's welcome today's interviewee Nina Palmer!:
Merriam Webster defines poetry as ‘the productions of a poet’. And as a ‘writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning, sound, and rhythm.’ But in your own words, how would you define poetry?
I would describe poetry as a rhythm of words meant to evoke imagery, emotion, and memory. From the poet's perspective I think it is way to express the things that we cannot simply just say, some experiences must be felt to be truly understood and that is what a poet attempts to do. I don't want to just tell you my experience, I want you to feel it.
Merriam Webster defines poetry as ‘the productions of a poet’. And as a ‘writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning, sound, and rhythm.’ But in your own words, how would you define poetry?
I would describe poetry as a rhythm of words meant to evoke imagery, emotion, and memory. From the poet's perspective I think it is way to express the things that we cannot simply just say, some experiences must be felt to be truly understood and that is what a poet attempts to do. I don't want to just tell you my experience, I want you to feel it.
Do you believe poetry matter? Why?
Poetry will always, in all its forms, expression is what makes us human.
Who is your favorite poet and why?
I enjoy Robert Frost. Poetry about nature is something I can always relate to.
Name one poet you wished more people knew about and why.
Perhaps, due to my desire to rhyme my poetry, I find the best poetry, the best words, are in song. I wish more people paid attention to the lyrics of today's music and recognized that it began as poetry. For example, Josh Mosser wrote "Demons" for Imagine Dragons.
Explain your poetry writing process.
I like to start with instrumental background music, something long and dramatic. I have a Pandora station for film scores, that really seems to set the mood for writing. My writing is mostly nature imagery and that is where I usually start from, remember somewhere in nature. I find my best writing comes from being completely without thought. My mind is emptied of any words filled only with music and images and from there it comes.
Poetry will always, in all its forms, expression is what makes us human.
Who is your favorite poet and why?
I enjoy Robert Frost. Poetry about nature is something I can always relate to.
Name one poet you wished more people knew about and why.
Perhaps, due to my desire to rhyme my poetry, I find the best poetry, the best words, are in song. I wish more people paid attention to the lyrics of today's music and recognized that it began as poetry. For example, Josh Mosser wrote "Demons" for Imagine Dragons.
Explain your poetry writing process.
I like to start with instrumental background music, something long and dramatic. I have a Pandora station for film scores, that really seems to set the mood for writing. My writing is mostly nature imagery and that is where I usually start from, remember somewhere in nature. I find my best writing comes from being completely without thought. My mind is emptied of any words filled only with music and images and from there it comes.
Nina's first book, Through the Trees, was released in 2014. She's currently working on her next collection, Reaching the Castle Wall. You can follow Nina at her sites: www.ninacpalmer.com. www.facebook.com/ninacpalmerwritings and www.twitter.com/ninacpalmer