12 or 20 (second series) questions with Marc Perez
A poet, Marc Perez is the author of Dayo (Brick Books) and Domus(Anstruther Press).
1 - How did yourfirst book or chapbook change your life? How does your most recent work compareto your previous? How does it feel different?
I think having theexperience of writing, editing, and publishing the book gave me a betterunderstanding of my creative practice, as well as strengths and weaknesses inmy writing. Practically, though, I don’t think that publishing changed my lifein any way. I mean, I’m still broke. Affectively—to use the famous Alice Notleyquote on my social media feed—I still have my grief.
My current workisn’t much different but a further exploration of themes and ideas I engagedwith in Dayo.
2 - How did youcome to poetry first, as opposed to, say, fiction or non-fiction?
Ah, my earliest exposureto poetry, if I remember correctly, were riddles, or bugtong in Filipino, whichwere very common then. When I was in grade school, I usually bought cheap spiralnotebooks that featured random celebrities and, at times, public domain poemson the cover. One such poem is “Don’t Quit” by Edgar Albert Guest. Sentimental,sure, but for the kid-me, it was moving. Actually, I revisit that poemsometimes and, in fact, read it to my wife not too long ago. Finally, orcourse, there were love poems. My real introduction with contemporary lyric,which influenced me henceforth, happened when I was attending Adult Ed here inVancouver and an instructor, a poet himself, had us read poems by the greatWisława Szymborska. View with a Grain of Sand remains to be a revelation.
3 - How long doesit take to start any particular writing project? Does your writing initiallycome quickly, or is it a slow process? Do first drafts appear looking close totheir final shape, or does your work come out of copious notes?
I think I’m aninstinctive writer; I mean, I try not to overthink it. Often, I write the draftof a poem fairly quickly and spend a lot of time editing it. Sometimes, a poempresents itself almost fully formed; other times, I lift from varioussources—notes (loose papers, word docs, app notes), unfinished poems, literaryquotes, etc. My strategy, always: reflect on what to write and how to write. Whenthe poem isn’t coming, I don’t force it. I wait until we’re both ready.
4 - Where does apoem or work of fiction usually begin for you? Are you an author of shortpieces that end up combining into a larger project, or are you working on a"book" from the very beginning?
I like seriespoems. I look at my poems in relation to each other and my work as whole ingeneral. With Dayo, I had an idea ofthemes that I wanted to touch on, and the poems in the book relate to thesethemes in one way or another.
5 - Are publicreadings part of or counter to your creative process? Are you the sort ofwriter who enjoys doing readings?
I get incrediblynervous whenever I read publicly. What saves me from vertigo, usually, is theimmediate reaction from the audience; I observe their expressions andreciprocate. I don’t think of reading in terms of promotion or exposure, butsimply another form with which to share my work and connect with people. Theorality of public reading, with its own demands and approach, I think, is aform distinct from the written word. In fact, I’ve found myself veering awayfrom my own text at times, adding and omitting some words while reading.
I recently had themarvelous opportunity to read Dayo inits entirety for the Whole Cloth Reading Series (thank you Elee and Bronwen!). I’mnot a performer or athlete, but I think it was the closest I’ve been tosomething somatically sublime. I really hope such poetry reading format becomesmore common and accessible.
6 - Do you have anytheoretical concerns behind your writing? What kinds of questions are youtrying to answer with your work? What do you even think the current questionsare?
I don’t go aboutwriting a poem with theory in mind or try to answer theoretical questions. I’dwrite an essay instead. That said, theories, of course, also inform my poeticpractice, and they figure, needless to say, in my poems. I’m concerned aboutalienation; neocolonialism and migration; mental health in relation to ourcurrent cultural and economic neoliberal hell-hole; revolutionary,anti-imperialist movements; liberalism and its discontents; affect; amongothers. Intentionally, though, my lyric poem’s emotional register is at theforefront, and not the technical jargon that inform it. Primarily, I write, asI often say, to move hearts, including mine.
7 – What do you seethe current role of the writer being in larger culture? Do they even have one?What do you think the role of the writer should be?
The poet’s role,first and foremost, is to write poems.
The writer, likeany worker, is a political entity. What they produce, whether they believe itor not, are artifacts embedded in particular histories, cultures, socioeconomics,etc. Their words and actions have weight and consequences. In their scribbleddreams, to borrow from Delmore Schwartz, begin responsibilities.
That said, I don’tthink there’s a homogenous role for writers, but like everyone else, they contributein shaping cultural discourses in our society. Their role, however, whatever itmay be, is only as good, valuable and progressive as the dictates of theirvalues, politics, and ethics. Fascists, needless to say, also write poems.
8 - Do you find theprocess of working with an outside editor difficult or essential (or both)?
Editors aredefinitely essential, regardless of the difficulty of the process. With Dayo, I entered the poet-editor relationshipsfrom the idea that they want the best for me and my work. That was definitelytrue in my experience with Brick Books, and I greatly admire the attention andcare they provided.
9 - What is thebest piece of advice you've heard (not necessarily given to you directly)?
There’s my usualanswer of writing poems in a series. When I was attending a creative writingprogram, an instructor, I don’t remember exactly who, told me something I foundinteresting: protect your voice. It is helpful because I became much morediscerning of feedback and advice, whether good or bad. If voice, simply put,means the combination one’s use of language and one’s vision, then I, whowrites in English as a Second Language, must ensure, for instance, thepreservation of even the tiniest inflections in my style against the hegemonicpower (that is, requiring consent and coercion i.e. grading, publication,marketability) of institutionalized and normative writing conventions.
10 - How easy hasit been for you to move between genres (poetry to fiction)? What do you see asthe appeal?
I recently read We Do Not Part, by Han Kang and Vancouverfor Beginners, by Alex Leslie(incredible work, by the way), so I’m kind of questioning if there’s an actualdistinction between poetry and fiction, or if such distinction is evennecessary. To me, writing in multiple genres means having more vessels to carrythe content I wish to write. If a topic isn’t working as a poem, I can trywriting it as a short fiction or personal essay. It broadens the possibilities.
11 - What kind ofwriting routine do you tend to keep, or do you even have one? How does atypical day (for you) begin?
My writing routineis akin to Vancouver spring weather—irregular and indecisive Right now, though,my kids attend preschool and kindergarten, so I get to have a few hours in themorning until around noon to do my thing—write, edit, read, develop and scannegatives, and so on. I used to stay up late to write; now, I’m typicallyasleep by midnight.
12 - When yourwriting gets stalled, where do you turn or return for (for lack of a betterword) inspiration?
I read poetrycollections and novels that I love and read multiples times. I go meandering walksand create a brain-space for both randomness and concentration.
13 - What fragrancereminds you of home?
Adobo.
14 - David W.McFadden once said that books come from books, but are there any other formsthat influence your work, whether nature, music, science or visual art?
I’m a firm believerin the dialogic nature of writing. It’s an antidote to the peerless, creativegenius. I like drawing from various sources, forms that seem divergent ordisparate. It’s like a random conversation with a stranger, who, I later learn,isn’t a stranger at all. I welcome serendipity and chance encounters.
15 - What otherwriters or writings are important for your work, or simply your life outside ofyour work?
Since my lateteens, I’ve gravitated toward revolutionary and socialist texts—theoretical andliterary—from Marx to Ho Chi Minh to Jose Maria Sison and various things inbetween and beyond. They are important in the way I view the world and how Isee myself in it.
16 - What would youlike to do that you haven't yet done?
I would like tobecome a strong swimmer; but first, quit smoking cigarettes—permanently.
17 - If you couldpick any other occupation to attempt, what would it be? Or, alternately, whatdo you think you would have ended up doing had you not been a writer?
I like the smell ofwood. I would like to be a woodworker for sure. I’ve often imagined shaving,chiseling, or hammering wood to make a table and chair. Never tried it though!
18 - What made youwrite, as opposed to doing something else?
I write—or make artin general—because like water or math, it is an essential, basic part of life.I don’t need any justification on why to do it. It just is. As with paid work,photography, activism, and parenting, however, writing is only one aspect ofmyself. I don’t feel any pressure choosing one thing over another. Theycoexist. The main contradiction, I think, arises from the lack of time; toresolve it, I give by best at getting better with essential skills like schedulingand time management.
19 - What was thelast great book you read? What was the last great film?
We Do Not Part, by Han Kang, definitely. I wasliterally holding my breath while reading sections of the book. For poetry, Irecently revisited The Selected Poems ofWang Wei, translated by David Hinton. I’ve read it multiple times yet don’tremember much of it, only a general feeling of longing and surrender. For film,it has to be Perfect Days, directedby Wim Wenders.
20 - What are youcurrently working on?
I’m working on a full-lengthcollection of poems. I’ve also started a hybrid chapbook, composed ofphotographs and poetry. Mainly, I’m trying to write a collection of shortstories.
