12 or 20 (second series) questions with John P. Portelli
JohnP. Portelli,originally from Malta, is a professor emeritus in the Department of SocialJustice Education at the University of Toronto. He has taught in Canadianuniversities since 1982. Besides 11 academic books, he has published tencollections of poetry (four in Maltese and English, one in English and French,three in Maltese, one in English (Here Was, available from Amazon) andone in Greek, The Loves of yesterday), two collections of short stories(one translated into English and published as Everyday Encounters), anda novel, Everyone but Faiza (Burlington, ON: Word and Deed, 2021). Hisliterary work has been translated into Italian, Romanian, Greek, Farsi, Arabic,Korean, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Polish. His latest collection, HereWas has been translated and published in Romanian by Rocart Publishers inJune 2023. Five of his books have been short-listed for the Malta Book CouncilAnnual Literary Award. He now lives between Toronto and Malta, and beyond! See,www.johnpportelli.com
1- How did your first book change your life? How does your most recent workcompare to your previous? How does it feel different?
My first book, a poetry collection (2001), introduced meto a different audience than what I had been used to since by then I hadpublished 7 academic books. It gave me a sense of freedom to express myemotions and thoughts without therestrictions of the academia. My most recent work, Here Was (poetry, 2023 published by Word and Deed Publishers inCanada, and Horizons in Malta), while still very personal, is deeper and moremature, and also more emotionally adventurous.
2- How did you come to poetry first, as opposed to, say, fiction or non-fiction?
I started writing poetry at the age of 16. Most probablybecause I lack prolonged attention, and given that poetry allows for strongfeelings, I swayed toward poetry.
3- How long does it take to start any particular writing project? Does yourwriting initially come quickly, or is it a slow process? Do first drafts appearlooking close to their final shape, or does your work come out of copiousnotes?
During the 40 years that I worked as a professor, givenmy academic focus, writing poetry and fiction did not come easy as it requiresconcentration, and I did not have that leisure. In the last 8 years or so,writing has become easier (but not easy) since I am able to dedicate time everyday to writing non academic stuff (which now I find very boring). I have learntthat good writing usually requires lots of edits. I have been revising a240-page novel for two years!
4- Where does a poem or work of fiction usually begin for you? Are you an authorof short pieces that end up combining into a larger project, or are you workingon a "book" from the very beginning?
Usually writing begins with an existential experience ofsome sort, even a very mundane or at face value insignificant occurrence. I neverreally know where the first line will lead to! With regard to poetry, I havewritten mostly shorter pieces – although recently I composed a longer piece(about 40 pages) consisting of smaller pieces written in sequence (almostdialoguing with each other). With regard to prose fiction, I have written apublished collection of flash fiction (EveryDay Encounters), and a collection of full length short stories, and a novel(Everyone but Faiza). Writing thenovel was a completely different experience than writing poetry or shortstories. I had it all planned before I started writing. Of course, after thefirst draft was completed, I had lots and lots of revisions and changes.
5- Are public readings part of or counter to your creative process? Are you thesort of writer who enjoys doing readings?
In my view, art is primarily a social event. There is noart without an audience that cares and engages. Hence, for me, public readingsfollowed by genuine conversations are essential. I enjoy reading and also, ofcourse, hearing others read.
6- Do you have any theoretical concerns behind your writing? What kinds ofquestions are you trying to answer with your work? What do you even think thecurrent questions are?
Writing is always a social/political activity, that isone that involves some sort of power relations (good and bad). It is neverdisembodied! Yet, I do not belief that good literature should be written topass along a particular, specific message or moral. Literature primarily ismeant to give pleasure both to authors and readers by creating a dialecticbetween text and textuality. Having said that, in my writing, as I criticallyreflect on it, certain themes emerge: migration and exile; belonging and lackof belonging, home/not home; the sea; existential encounters; anger towardinjustices; death and memory. Writing (poetry and fiction) can be a form ofsocial activism and also genuine research.
7– What do you see the current role of the writer being in larger culture? Dothey even have one? What do you think the role of the writer should be?
An astute/delicate observer and sympathetic critic oflife through an expression of genuine feelings-thoughts which may give rise tousually unnoticed insights about the ordinary.
8- Do you find the process of working with an outside editor difficult oressential (or both)?
Not difficult as I was lucky to always find a suitableeditor who was not afraid to be critical of my work. For me, it is essential tohave an experienced and courageous editor.
9- What is the best piece of advice you've heard (not necessarily given to youdirectly)?
It is exactly in those moments when you think you arewasting time that, in fact, you are gaining it – an advice I encountered andcherished since I was an undergraduate when I read the Confessions ofJ.J. Rousseau.
10- How easy has it been for you to move between genres (poetry to short storiesto the novel to critical prose)? What do you see as the appeal?
Although I have moved from one genre to another, it isnot easy to move from one to the other. Poetry takes a lot of very concentrated, relatively short spans of time– but it can be very exhausting. Even when I write prose, I get distracted withpoetry. And I suffer from a short spanof attention. In fact, I am surprised that I have written two novels.
11- What kind of writing routine do you tend to keep, or do you even have one?How does a typical day (for you) begin?
Until I retired from full-time work in academia, I had tostruggle to find time to write between meetings, between classes, in boringmeetings etc. Now every morning, after praising the supreme being for giving melife, I meditate for just 5 minutes, drink lots of water and then 3 strongespressos, and then I write for an hour or two.
12- When your writing gets stalled, where do you turn or return for (for lack ofa better word) inspiration?
Re-reading of authors I love, meditate, and observepeople in coffee shops. When I am in Malta I visit the sea and converse withit!
13- What fragrance reminds you of home?
The smell of the Mediterranean Sea! And the orangeblossoms.
14- David W. McFadden once said that books come from books, but are there anyother forms that influence your work, whether nature, music, science or visualart?
Definitely existential encounters, aspects of nature, andmusic.
15- What other writers or writings are important for your work, or simply yourlife outside of your work?
Tahar Ben Jelloun, Laila Lalami, Suheir Hammad, Albert Camus, Mahmoud Darwish, Maria Grech Ganado, Elena Stefoi, George Seferis. Italo Calvino, Adonis.
16- What would you like to do that you haven't yet done?
Visit Japan and Latin America.
17- If you could pick any other occupation to attempt, what would it be? Or,alternately, what do you think you would have ended up doing had you not been awriter?
Pizza maker and owner of a pizza place.
18- What made you write, as opposed to doing something else?
Dealing with the angst of life! I found freedom inwriting; it allowed me to dialogue critically with myself.
19- What was the last great book you read? What was the last great film?
The Present Tense ofthe World (poems) by Amina Said. Film: Babylon Berlin.
20- What are you currently working on?
Two collections of poetry, a collection of short storieson the theme of sexuality, and the novel that I mentioned earlier.
