Awwthentic Poetry Contest First Runner-Up : Gregory aka BleedingUnicorns
His Submission : External Link
His Works :
a) A Poetic Journey in Story-telling
b) Dying To Live
And, here goes the Interview :)
1) A few words about you and your poetic side, please.
1) Well, I play the Violin, Piano and the flute. I'm 17 years old. I love writing poetry- on various topics, and I am used to writing more in the narrative style than any other form. I tell stories through poetry. Poetry is my escape from reality whilst describing reality.. Quite paradoxical- but it's the truth.
2) The inspiration behind "The Real Saint Nick?
2) It was a Christmas poem I thought of when I was at the Orphanage helping out with the distribution of gifts to little less fortunate children in the society. It was a fleeting thought I penned down in rough and finished when I came back home.
3) Why is poetry important to you? What prompted you to begin writing poetry?
3) Poetry is a means of expressing my views on society, life and human emotions. Poetry is a joy to write because it gives you freedom from the shackles of conformity. It is pleasant to read because of the rhythm even if it does not rhyme. Moreover, you have a greater variety of interpretations as compared to a prose work. Poetry is the raw melody of the soul.
I first wrote poetry as a break from studies. I started taking it more seriously after the age of around 10 years.. It has always been a form of recreation for me.
4)How was the journey as the participant of the 'Awwthentic Poetry Contest?"
4) The yarn is great but words scarce spin. It was fantastic to be able to communicate on a public platform and gain publicity for one's work. I met so many people in my journey through the contest, and would like to thank @awwthentic for this amazing opportunity!!
5) Did you read the poems other submitted in the contest?
Which one is your favorite among them?
5) I did read all the poems submitted, and I liked all of them. I agree with the judges, and would consider Jeff's to be the most thought-provoking, although the margin between different poems was not that great. Everyone did a marvellous job. I feel honoured to be chosen to feature in the winner's list.
6) Are there any forms you haven't tried but would like to?
6) I have never tried freeverse poetry, and would love to do so, since it gives you a lot more room for expression. The rhythm is something I cannot get right without the rhyme, though, because the idea of a rhyming scheme with the rhythm is hard-wired into my brain, so that I naturally tend to rhyme couplets unintentionally. It gets rather annoying for me sometimes. Haha.
7) On the average, how long does it usually take you to create a poem from thought to completion?
7) Not very long at all. The ideas are long in coming, but the basic idea of poetry is to be a medium of conveying your thoughts in their most original form. That means writing poetry is no more than saying what you want in verses. So it could take me an hour or less.
8) Do you plan to get your book published?
8) Haha.. Not really. Naturally, if someone were to ask me if they would publish my book, then of course I would agree, but then again that would be as unlikely as a fish climbing a poplar tree.
9) Tell us about your other works.
9) I mostly write stories in verse and Dark poetry on Wattpad. I don't write novels too much. I haven't published one yet. However, my poems on Suicide always alternate between hope/ encouragement and then sympathy for those who know the darkness of Depression.
10) Has your idea of what poetry is changed since you began writing poems?
10) Not really. It has only been strengthened. I have always believed that poetry is all about expressing yourself. If that means you have to use freeverse, it does not change the essence of Poetry. Poetry can never have a forced rhyming scheme, because that would be painful for the writer and vulgar for the reader.
11) What books/poems have most influenced your life most?
11) I think George Orwell {animal farm}, Charles DIckens {Oliver Twist}, Wilfred Owen {Anthem for Doomed Youth} and Shakespeare {Macbeth} have influenced me the most.
12) Your message to the readers.
12) "What is wonderful about great literature is that it transforms the man who reads it towards the condition of the man who wrote," as E.M. Forster said. Please keep reading! Cheers!
EnJoy Reading!!
Awwthentic~