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1.
What is the first poem you ever loved? Why?
Song of Myself by Walt Whitman.
It is a lyric affirmation of the soul and the soul’s possibilities. It is a
testament to the limitlessness of one’s self. As an adolescent, it gave me
great hope in life, and indeed, still does.
2. How important is
philosophy to your writing? Why?
I don’t quite know how to answer
this question, but certainly philosophy is important in a general sense in
that it gives us a measure by which to live our lives, and in my case is the
basis of much of my inner reflection.
3. When did you start
writing poetry? And why?
I started writing in my early
twenties. Earlier, I painted, but wanted to express what paint could not.
4. How do you identify
yourself as multicultural poet?
I was born in Saigon,
Vietnam, and came to the States when five, then became an American citizen
at the age of 10. I have lived in Japan for the last few years, and travel
has become an integral part of my life.
5. How do you see the
future of poetry in this materialistic world?
I would like to think that even
the most materialistic will find value in feeding their souls.
6. What does "globalism”
mean to you as a poet?
It means the passing of many
things personal (such as mom and pop stores), promoting a sameness that is
often both depressing and deceiving. At the same time, more people have
access to information as well as having the ability to communicate with
others around the world, and this can be liberating. |
