Interview with Perie Longo Interviewer: Koketso Marishane
- From your life-long experiences within the literary field, which part of your exercise/practice did you most enjoy and why?
2. As the second official ‘poet laureate’ within the USA that was almost mandated though it was a kind request to recite a piece on the eve of the Inauguration of the first African American USA President, Barack Hussein Obama, how did you feel about this? Also, just to touch a little from your piece you rendered that night: “But there you are, 44th president, Michele by your side with daughters in hand smiling bright as a planet. Kind of a miracle, wouldn’t you say? Considering the 60’s when you were born? Now the first African-American family in the White House, I cry Halleluiah! and quote a saying found on-line:“Rosa sat so Martin could walk; Martin walked so Obama could run; Obama is running so our children can fly. Hosanna, Hosanna” Could you please take us on a narrative analysis about this event placing yourself both as a narrator and a third person (audience) with special emphasis on the following figures of speech: “kind of miracle”; “Í cry Halleluiah; and why did you end the piece by “Hosanna”?
This is a two part question. As poet laureate, I felt honored and humbled to be asked to write a poem on the occasion of Barack Obama being inaugurated as president. The event was held in one of our local churches and the audience was composed of a cross section of people of all ages, races and creeds, but all Obama supporters. It was a moving experience of many others reading poems, giving speeches and singing songs. It was our way to celebrate a “miracle” in American politics.
This brings me to the poem itself. Born December 7, 1940 the year after Pearl Harbor was bombed in WW II, I grew up with the mission of bringing peace to the world however I could. Writing poetry for me was my way of coming to internal peace, which is necessary, in my opinion, as a way to a wider peace in the family, community, and world. As such, I have been poetry chair for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation for many years (www.wagingpeace.org).
When I wrote “Kind of a miracle, wouldn’t you say? considering the 60’s when you were born?” I meant the 60’s was when Obama was born, the decade where African Americans were finally granted equality. It was a miracle to me that in that short span of time, America had elected a mixed-race president to show how we had matured as a nation. Of course, there are those who still resist this. The quote that begins “Rosa sat so Martin could walk” is about Rosa Parks who refused to sit in the back of the bus where the “Colored” (as they used to say) had to sit. In doing so, she helped to create a climate where Martin Luther King, who spoke and marched for equality for all, could begin his work which eventually led to Obama being elected president. The quote was originally coined in a slightly different version by a senator from Louisiana, W.E. B. Dubois, and made popular by Jesse Jackson. The quote looks to the future with the words “so our children can fly”, which is of course about freedom of justice and racial equality. “I cry Halleluiah” to symbolize joy in a spiritual sense as in Gospel singing as well as any hymn, along with all those who voted for him. And I end the quote with “Hosanna, Hosanna!” as I began the poem, as an exclamation of praise to the Almighty, God, if you will, Divine intervention, for guiding us to make the right choice at that time in our history.
3. With your experiences in the literary arena, from teaching, heading organizations to your present title, what have you learnt from all of these and granted the blessings to live more, what do you wish/plan to do which you haven’t done before and why?
I wish to continue following the path I have all along. I would like to publish another manuscript of poetry that I have prepared, on a personal level. On a wider scale I would like to continue helping to bring peace to the world through writing and teaching.
4. As an experienced professional in literature, could you please share with us on the following: (a) Your artistic philosophy, (b) How would you position yourself on a global scale and (c) how you think or feel your words and performance was compared with that of the Presidential Poet Laureate, Dr. Elizabeth Alexander?
a) My artistic philosophy is that if each of us speaks from our hearts about what concerns us, we contribute to the good of the “whole,” making for a better world of understanding between all people. When I was a little girl I used to go to the drugstore close to our house with my father for ice cream cones. Above the counter was a saying: “Make the world a better place than you found it.” I took it to heart.
b) On a global scale I have small impact. I have gone to Kuwait in 2005 at the invitation of Dr. Haifa al Sanousi, professor of literature at their university, to speak on “Poetry as a Way to Peace.” That is probably the most global activity I have done. In 2009 I was asked to write a poem for the “Women and Peace” annual awards given by the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. It is on their website (www.wagingpeace.org). This poem speaks for all women worldwide and was posted also on the “Speaking Tree” website last year, I believe. There is this interview, I am happy to say, and then with all my years of teaching, who know where the pebble dropped in the pond of human experience may pulse.
c) Dr. Elizabeth Alexander’s poem was magnificent before the whole world. Mine was on a far smaller scale for our local community. Our message is somewhat the same. She ends her poem: “On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp,/praise song for walking forward in that light.”
5) What message would you like to convey to your fellows, our fellows as well as the reading community?
When I was about 30 years old I heard a monk give a lecture in Santa Barbara. He said that in ancient times, as two opposing tribes met on the battlefield, the story goes they could not kill anyone until each person read a poem about who they were and who their ancestors were. This was astounding to me! When I was perhaps 5 years old I used to have a recurring dream very similar to that. I suddenly understood universal consciousness. I think if people of all cultures and beliefs delve into the poetry of each other, they will find we all want the same thing. We are all more powerful than we imagine. As Ghandi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” I think that change manifests more clearly the better we know ourselves through educating ourselves through reading and writing about the reasons behind our beliefs and opinions, which can range from the personal to the spiritual. Thank you for the honor of being awarded as an “Enchanting Poet.”
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Interview with Colleen Harris Interviewer: Koketso Marishane
1. In your present capacity as ‘’Assistant Professor’ who’s soon to be promoted to a higher level provided you satisfy the relevant bodies, how will your nomenclature affect effects in your profession and lifestyle? Could you take us on a narrative journey of the whole process, please?
Title changes do not mean much to me, and I expect to work just as hard once I achieve tenure as I do without it. I am, however, hoping that there might be a lifestyle change if there is a salary raise involved, as I would love to buy a home. I very much desire the ability to paint my walls whatever color I please whenever I please, which is not an option with apartment living. The process is fairly simple and (luckily, at my institution) forthright. After so many years of working at the assistant professor level, I am eligible for tenure and promotion. A committee of my peers reviews my dossier, which includes materials showcasing my experience and growth in librarianship, research and service. Should they approve and want me to remain, they will recommend me for tenure. That recommendation then goes to the library Dean, the University provost, the Chancellor, then to the University Board. Should there be approval all the way up that chain, I will have achieved tenure. Many universities and departments do not have as clear guidelines as my own library does, where we spell out the expectations very clearly.Essentially I have worked hard to demonstrate not just competence but growth as a practitioner, scholar, and servant.
2. Appropriated the chance to justify yourself for all you’ve made throughout your life, how are you positioned and how is the room for improvement and the chances of your occupancy in it?
I am very lucky, and with a tenure-track position in a career field I love (librarianship), I am able to engage in meaningful research as well as to satisfy my own desire to work on creative writing. I certainly have room for improvement in time management – I currently work a 12-month tenure track job, am a full-time doctoral student, I teach as an adjunct in various departments across campus, and I also pursue my creative writing in my free time. Creative writing usually gets the short shrift when priorities start competing, and I would like to make more space for it in my life.I also have not yet set down roots, as I have been too interested in exploring the different facets of life and work, and I hope to improve in my ability to truly integrate into my community.
3. Based on the current trend of living in a global village via digital divisions, how is your work and lifestyle affected professionally and personally?
I find computers to be incredibly distracting. I do my best creative writing work by hand and in quiet – usually outdoors. I work on the computer with creative writing only to play with line breaks and so I can store and print multiple copies easily. Because I work at a university that serves a very diverse group of students, many of them economically disadvantaged, I maintain a consciousness about how I use technology, and how I assume others use it. I also work very hard to make sure that I use technology as a tool to solve particular problems as opposed to choosing technologies based on the shiny-shiny-ooh factor.
4. In terms of language development in an information society that has emerged with the 21st century generation, what’s your take on digitising data with relevance to archaeological and anthropological treasures meant for clandestine disclosure and; how do you decide which direction to take with technology as an advancing mechanical tool?
I think that digitizing information is an incredible opportunity to make it available to those who might not otherwise have been exposed to it. Aside from top secret government information and personal information, there is not a lot in terms of archaeological treasure that I would posit should be clandestine. Information is the essential weapon against ignorance, and if we can harness digital technologies to expand access to information, particularly about other cultures, I think we should do so with no delay. In terms of my own use of technology and my advocacy for it in my work, I try to make sure we match the tool to the need. Sometimes pen and paper are as advanced as I need to get; other times I require server access. It is all about the end result of what we want to accomplish. I do think that we as humans need to be more conscious of the decisions we make with regards to our technology choices.
5. Based on your life’s experiences in academia, how would you classify your work on a global scale and what message would you convey to the newcomers aspiring your accolades?
On a global scale my impact is probably very small; I work hard to improve services, experience, and the skills of the students at my local university. I try to present my work and research at conferences and have done so nationally and internationally, which I hope impacts other librarians’ and teachers’ practices for the better. My hope is really that my influence somehow either helps people become more effective at finding the information they need or helps libraries be more effective in the work that they do. My goal for my creative writing is that it touches someone somewhere, and that they remember my words with comfort and/or inspiration at some point in their lives. My message to any newcomer in either academia or creative writing is just this: you must do what you love. Only that will make you happy, only being happy will allow you to throw yourself heart and soul into your work, and only working with that sort of dedication will bring you satisfying success.
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Title changes do not mean much to me, and I expect to work just as hard once I achieve tenure as I do without it. I am, however, hoping that there might be a lifestyle change if there is a salary raise involved, as I would love to buy a home. I very much desire the ability to paint my walls whatever color I please whenever I please, which is not an option with apartment living. The process is fairly simple and (luckily, at my institution) forthright. After so many years of working at the assistant professor level, I am eligible for tenure and promotion. A committee of my peers reviews my dossier, which includes materials showcasing my experience and growth in librarianship, research and service. Should they approve and want me to remain, they will recommend me for tenure. That recommendation then goes to the library Dean, the University provost, the Chancellor, then to the University Board. Should there be approval all the way up that chain, I will have achieved tenure. Many universities and departments do not have as clear guidelines as my own library does, where we spell out the expectations very clearly.Essentially I have worked hard to demonstrate not just competence but growth as a practitioner, scholar, and servant.
2. Appropriated the chance to justify yourself for all you’ve made throughout your life, how are you positioned and how is the room for improvement and the chances of your occupancy in it?
I am very lucky, and with a tenure-track position in a career field I love (librarianship), I am able to engage in meaningful research as well as to satisfy my own desire to work on creative writing. I certainly have room for improvement in time management – I currently work a 12-month tenure track job, am a full-time doctoral student, I teach as an adjunct in various departments across campus, and I also pursue my creative writing in my free time. Creative writing usually gets the short shrift when priorities start competing, and I would like to make more space for it in my life.I also have not yet set down roots, as I have been too interested in exploring the different facets of life and work, and I hope to improve in my ability to truly integrate into my community.
3. Based on the current trend of living in a global village via digital divisions, how is your work and lifestyle affected professionally and personally?
I find computers to be incredibly distracting. I do my best creative writing work by hand and in quiet – usually outdoors. I work on the computer with creative writing only to play with line breaks and so I can store and print multiple copies easily. Because I work at a university that serves a very diverse group of students, many of them economically disadvantaged, I maintain a consciousness about how I use technology, and how I assume others use it. I also work very hard to make sure that I use technology as a tool to solve particular problems as opposed to choosing technologies based on the shiny-shiny-ooh factor.
4. In terms of language development in an information society that has emerged with the 21st century generation, what’s your take on digitising data with relevance to archaeological and anthropological treasures meant for clandestine disclosure and; how do you decide which direction to take with technology as an advancing mechanical tool?
I think that digitizing information is an incredible opportunity to make it available to those who might not otherwise have been exposed to it. Aside from top secret government information and personal information, there is not a lot in terms of archaeological treasure that I would posit should be clandestine. Information is the essential weapon against ignorance, and if we can harness digital technologies to expand access to information, particularly about other cultures, I think we should do so with no delay. In terms of my own use of technology and my advocacy for it in my work, I try to make sure we match the tool to the need. Sometimes pen and paper are as advanced as I need to get; other times I require server access. It is all about the end result of what we want to accomplish. I do think that we as humans need to be more conscious of the decisions we make with regards to our technology choices.
5. Based on your life’s experiences in academia, how would you classify your work on a global scale and what message would you convey to the newcomers aspiring your accolades?
On a global scale my impact is probably very small; I work hard to improve services, experience, and the skills of the students at my local university. I try to present my work and research at conferences and have done so nationally and internationally, which I hope impacts other librarians’ and teachers’ practices for the better. My hope is really that my influence somehow either helps people become more effective at finding the information they need or helps libraries be more effective in the work that they do. My goal for my creative writing is that it touches someone somewhere, and that they remember my words with comfort and/or inspiration at some point in their lives. My message to any newcomer in either academia or creative writing is just this: you must do what you love. Only that will make you happy, only being happy will allow you to throw yourself heart and soul into your work, and only working with that sort of dedication will bring you satisfying success.
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Interview with Roger Humes Interviewer: Koketso Marishane
- Does your relationship with your work change after it has been published and if so, how? How does the concept of publication affect your writing in general?
The change is I have to let the work go. I do go back, reread, and study them, but I know as for working with ton poems that they are done. Dylan Thomas once said if he kept working on the same poems he would have had no time to write new ones.
The only exception is if I later I include them in an extended work. For example, right now I am working on a volume that is a narrative using poetry written from 1972 until now. On some of these poems I have done rewrite to make them better fit the narrative.
- Talk about the challenges and opportunities in accepting or rejecting work submitted for publishing by poets you know personally.
There have been few poets that I have knew before including them in Other Voices, and those that I did I truly wanted to include their work because of its merit. Luckily, this is been a problem that has not manifested for me.
- Is your publication online, print or hybrid? Share your thoughts on the differences between these formats from an editorial point of view. Does your publication accept both snail-mail and email submissions? Explain your policies on this regard.
It is online. We refer to it as a cyber-anthology. We feel that online work has its niche in the publishing world but does not and should not replace printed work. Both I believe have their own important place in the world of poetry. The strength of online is that it is immediate and inexpensive to produce. The advantage of print is that it less ephemeral. A web site could disappear overnight. Printed volumes I believe will stay longer, especially if they use acid free paper.
Besides, physically curling up with a book cannot be replaced by an iPad.
Other Voices is by invitation only. The reason that we have a very small staff. When we first started we opened to submissions but were quickly overwhelmed by the volume. We were drowning in poetry so we had to limit the intake.
Most of our poets have submitted the work online, but Coleman Barks did mail his to me. I have also had a few poets accept our invitation, but I had to copy their work from their books.
- Apart from following submission guidelines, what should a poet sending work do (or refrain from doing to stay on your good side?
This doesn’t really apply to us. However, we do try to keep an open mind. We see Other Voices as a repository of as many styles of poetry as we can post. I myself will include work that I do not personally like but recognize its quality and importance.
- Appropriated the chance to position yourself in the literary space, how would you rate yourself on a global level based on your past-present performance work already done and how do you envision the future of literature on all formats?
I always view myself as Eliot said:
No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;
Am an attendant lord, one that will do
To swell a progress, start a scene or two
Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool,
Deferential, glad to be of use,
Politic, cautious, and meticulous;
Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse;
At times, indeed, almost ridiculous—
Almost, at times, the Fool.
I my work is solid. I have had my good moments. I am particularly proud of my modern Western version of the Arabic story of Madjun and Layla. However, I am no genius or great writer.
Probably my biggest problem is that I do not push my work enough. I am always more interested in writing the next poem than publishing the present one.
As for the future of literature I believe that we are living in a fantastic era. Technology is offering so many new ways to approach writing as well as new ways and places to exhibit work, and the access to work that would not be as nearly available without it.
For example Other Voices has over 500 poets with work written on all seven continents (we found a poet who had been an artist in residence at an Antarctic science station). Can you imagine how hard it would have been to put together such a collection with email and the Internet, especially since many of the poets are not that well known outside of their country or region?
In addition, technology has given me the fortune to have the Iranian poet Sheema Kalbasi as a partner in Other Voices. She is an exciting poet with an incredible drive and love of the form. Co-writing poetry with her and working on Other Voices is one of the best things to happen to me in my life.
I live in California. She lives on the East Coast. I discovered her work through an online magazine, The Iranian, and first contacted her as a fan via email. I highly doubt we would have ever met if not for the Internet.
So I say in all forms of art and all forms of living embrace the technology and use it to your advantage. I believe that we are living in the most exciting time in history.
