Coffee Talks

With Skylar

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Our poet of the month is Skylar, who is also known as eternitea40 on Wattpad.

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Hello! Thank you for taking the time to get involved with Coffee Community. It's great to hear from authors like yourself and get to know a little bit about what motivates you to write poetry.

So, to begin, tell us a little bit about yourself as a poet/poetess on Wattpad! For anyone who hasn't met you before, how would you describe your poetry?

I would describe my poetry as extremely raw, emotional, and heartfelt, as most of my poetry is centered around complex themes like mental health awareness and social justice. My poems (hopefully) leave readers reeling in surprise or shock.

What are your unique quirks when you write?

I listen to a LOT of K-pop when I write (my current favorite group is Red Velvet).

What structural or stylistic techniques do you prefer to use in your poems?

I prefer free verse, as rhyming consistently can limit my creativity, but sometimes, I enjoy incorporating slant rhymes to hold the poem together. I've also experimented with blank verse, haikus, and sonnets to tell uplifting stories.

What inspires your poetry?

Honestly, the news inspires many poems. For example, unfortunately during quarantine, hate against Asian-Americans skyrocketed, and as a Chinese-American, while I was attempting to process these horrible events, I turned to poetry to express my disbelief and anger.

What messages can be often found in your poems?

A general message that encourages readers to fight the norms is ubiquitous in my poetry. I hope my writing inspires others to call out injustice and see the good in bad situations.

Do you think that the Internet and social media contribute to the well-being of poetry nowadays?

Oh, 100%. So many of my friends have accounts dedicated to their writing, especially poetry, and it's always a joy to see their snippets on my feed. It's also easier to purchase and read poetry collections online, and this has introduced me to a handful of less well-known but extremely talented authors.

Do you have any favourite poetry collections on and off Wattpad?

I love The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman — her poetry is simply stunning.

What is the art of poetry in your opinion?

Poetry has the ability to connect any audience, any reader, and any person, regardless of beliefs. Poetry can tear down barriers or reconstruct them for good. Poetry can spark the beacon of hope we all desperately need in the world today—and that is the true power of writing.

Lastly, do you drink coffee? If yes, what is your favourite coffee beverage?

I need my morning coffee to survive classes. My favorite drink is either an iced mocha or an iced brown sugar shaken espresso.

Thank you once again for this lovely coffee chat, Sky! We're glad that we had the chance to get to know you more and wish you all the best for your writing journey. ☕