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<v Speaker 1>Hello everyone, it's your host, Amanda Eka, and I have

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<v Speaker 1>some amazing news. Starting this fall, the post Speaks is

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<v Speaker 1>coming to your TV screens. Yes, that's right. After eight

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<v Speaker 1>amazing seasons as a podcast, The poet Speaks with Amanda

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<v Speaker 1>Eka is now a TV show airing are the Archaeology

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<v Speaker 1>Channel's new streaming service, Heritage. Everyone, get ready for a

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<v Speaker 1>visual feast, spoken, more performances, and deep dives into the

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<v Speaker 1>minds of poets from all over the world. Now something

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<v Speaker 1>extraordinary is coming and you won't want to miss a

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<v Speaker 1>single moment. Stay tuned. Hello everyone, and welcome back to

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<v Speaker 1>the poet Speaks Podcast. Now, our next guest is a

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<v Speaker 1>queer Afro Dominican poet raised in Harlem and the South Bronx,

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<v Speaker 1>a twenty twenty two Langston Hughes Fellow at the Palm

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<v Speaker 1>Beach Poetry Festival and an alum of the Tin House

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<v Speaker 1>Winter Workshop. This work has received the Leslie McGrath Poetry

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<v Speaker 1>Prize in twenty twenty three, the Pacific Spirit Poetry Prize

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<v Speaker 1>in two. When you want the finalist for the twenty

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<v Speaker 1>twenty two Mississippi Review Poetry Prize. Everyone, Welcome to the

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<v Speaker 1>poll Speaks Podcast. Miguel Martin Perez, Miguel, how are you.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm good, Thank you for having me absolutely.

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<v Speaker 1>How does it feel when you hear all your accomplishments

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<v Speaker 1>just like out loud like that you blush.

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<v Speaker 2>Little, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I have mixed feelings. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm still fledgling, you know, like I'm still I feel

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<v Speaker 2>like I'm at the beginning of my career. So it's

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<v Speaker 2>it's almost surreal to think that I've done some things already,

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<v Speaker 2>but I don't know, it's I don't know, it's kind

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<v Speaker 2>of embarrassing almost, like to just hear it all spelled out.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, the whole thing. You feel like you're fledgling.

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<v Speaker 1>Even with your success, you still feel like you're fledgling

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<v Speaker 1>at the beginning of a career. That's an interesting kind

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<v Speaker 1>of place to be when you've accomplished a lot, but

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<v Speaker 1>you still feel like you're fledgling.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah know, for sure. I mean I What's nice is

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<v Speaker 2>that over the course of like the years that I've

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<v Speaker 2>been focused on on poetry, I've met a lot of people,

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<v Speaker 2>like a lot of people like I've met, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>peers that are like around the same stage that I'm at,

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<v Speaker 2>and professors who've you know, had four or five, six,

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<v Speaker 2>seven books under their belt. I've met some legends that

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<v Speaker 2>are just like you know, the best of the best,

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<v Speaker 2>and so you know, sometimes you can't help but compare.

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<v Speaker 2>But at the same time, it's like, you know, this

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<v Speaker 2>is the beginning. I reserve the right to be a

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<v Speaker 2>little bit humble, and you know, hold on to hope

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<v Speaker 2>that you know, I have potential, I have room to grow.

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<v Speaker 2>I can accomplish bigger things later.

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<v Speaker 1>Absolutely absolutely respect. Respect. Now tell us a little bit

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<v Speaker 1>about where are you at. Where are you located in

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<v Speaker 1>the world right now? I think a little bit from

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<v Speaker 1>your accent, but you tell us where you're in the

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<v Speaker 1>world right now.

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<v Speaker 2>I just moved back from California, like a couple of

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<v Speaker 2>months ago. I'm back home in the Bronx, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>staying with family, catching up with friends. Yeah, I'm back

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<v Speaker 2>in my hometown, my hometown. This is where where I

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<v Speaker 2>grew up, this is where I was raised. And you know,

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<v Speaker 2>the MFA pulled me out to California for a couple

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<v Speaker 2>of years and I stayed three more after that. So

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<v Speaker 2>I had a nice little stint at West.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, from West Coast to East coast tell us a bit.

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<v Speaker 1>Were you born and born and raised bred in the Bronx?

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<v Speaker 2>Correct, born in Inwood like I was born at the

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<v Speaker 2>Allen Pavilion Hospital, like the top of Manhattan until age six.

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<v Speaker 2>I grew up in Harlem on like one hundred and

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<v Speaker 2>fortieth in Amsterdam. And then around age six, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>once my mom was a single mom, we moved out

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<v Speaker 2>to the South Bronx. So I've lived here since I

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<v Speaker 2>was six years old in the year two thousand.

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<v Speaker 1>Wow. Wow, tell us what was that like growing up?

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<v Speaker 1>So that would be you grew up in the nineties,

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<v Speaker 1>would that be correct, somewhere around there early two thousands.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm born ninety four exactly.

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<v Speaker 1>What was that kind of like growing up in that

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<v Speaker 1>area in the Bronx, that New York City sense of mind.

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<v Speaker 1>I think a lot of people that are not born

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<v Speaker 1>and raised there. We all have our different kind of

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<v Speaker 1>ideas of what being a kid in New York City is.

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<v Speaker 1>Like there's a show I used to watch called Hey Arnold.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh yeah, in my mind, they was the schools would

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<v Speaker 1>be like PS. Eighteen. It never says it in the show,

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<v Speaker 1>but I believe that it grew up around New York City,

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<v Speaker 1>right tell us what was it like being a kid

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<v Speaker 1>growing up in a city like that.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh, there's so much to say. I you learn a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of things quickly. You know, once you're in like

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<v Speaker 2>middle school, you're already expected to take the trains and

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<v Speaker 2>the buses on your own. Yeah, you know. You you

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<v Speaker 2>learn how to navigate streets. Do you learn what the

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<v Speaker 2>da are very early? You know, to stay away from

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<v Speaker 2>from strangers, you know, you know, you learn to keep

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<v Speaker 2>your distance, don't make eye contact. That there's a lot

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<v Speaker 2>that is spoken and unspoken. You learn very quickly to

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<v Speaker 2>be to be careful. It's a big place and it's

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<v Speaker 2>easy to get lost. But you know, at the same time,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, it's such a it's such a big city

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<v Speaker 2>that there are so many people. You meet all kinds

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<v Speaker 2>of people, no matter what school you go to, what

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<v Speaker 2>like extracurriculars you do. You know, you are exposed to

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<v Speaker 2>diversity from the jump. So I think that's kind of

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<v Speaker 2>like the root of this idea that New Yorkers like

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<v Speaker 2>have seen it all or like nothing phases them. Like

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<v Speaker 2>I've seen a lot of clips online of like New

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<v Speaker 2>Yorkers not reacting or looking at something you know otherwise

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<v Speaker 2>extraordinary happening on the subway. So yeah, it's it's it's great.

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<v Speaker 2>It's great. You learn a whole lot, You get exposed

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<v Speaker 2>to a lot, and over time you get used to

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<v Speaker 2>a lot, maybe maybe get a little bit jaded, But

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<v Speaker 2>you know, I don't regret.

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<v Speaker 1>It, Yeah, for sure, for sure now, so I do

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<v Speaker 1>want to get to later this kind of point of

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<v Speaker 1>that perspective to the West Coast especially. I know you

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<v Speaker 1>went to UC Riverside, and I'm very well familiar with

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<v Speaker 1>that school. But we'll get to that a little bit later.

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<v Speaker 1>When did uh, when did you discover poetry? Was it

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<v Speaker 1>during your childhood in the city, in the Bronx, like

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<v Speaker 1>you said that New York, you learn a lot at

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<v Speaker 1>such a small young age. Did you discover writing at

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<v Speaker 1>that point when you were learning so much at such

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<v Speaker 1>a young age, or did poetry find you later in

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<v Speaker 1>your career in your life.

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<v Speaker 2>I poetry like really got me when I was in

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<v Speaker 2>high school. You know. The The unfortunate thing about the

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<v Speaker 2>educational system, you know then when I was coming up

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<v Speaker 2>through the ranks and still to this day, is that

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<v Speaker 2>poetry is kind of a mini section. Like that's probably

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<v Speaker 2>a day or two in a given like English course.

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<v Speaker 2>So you know, there were moments and I still remember

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<v Speaker 2>these moments, you know, maybe like second grade, fifth grade,

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<v Speaker 2>seventh grade, where there was a poetry section and I

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<v Speaker 2>was really excited just to like have something creative to

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<v Speaker 2>do in class, and you know, reading something that was

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<v Speaker 2>different from all of the short stories, different from the

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<v Speaker 2>you know, the plays that we read, et cetera. But

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<v Speaker 2>it wasn't until high school, Like it wasn't until I

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<v Speaker 2>was a freshman in high school where I started taking

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<v Speaker 2>up journaling seriously. And basically what happened is that over time,

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<v Speaker 2>I was just like journaling every single day, just like

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<v Speaker 2>writing everything that I did throughout the day, and day

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<v Speaker 2>after day got more detailed. I started describing that just

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<v Speaker 2>what I did that day, but I was talking about

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<v Speaker 2>like the facial expressions in my friend's face when they

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<v Speaker 2>told me this, and that I started describing what passers

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<v Speaker 2>by were wearing. Like I was becoming really detailed, like

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<v Speaker 2>borderline obsessive with my journal entries. I wanted it to

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<v Speaker 2>be as descriptive as possible, and then that became a

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<v Speaker 2>problem because it caused insomnia. Like I was recounting my

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<v Speaker 2>day into the night and so poetry just kind of

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<v Speaker 2>happened from there. I found shortcuts, I found ways of

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<v Speaker 2>describing emotions in detail that didn't need all that detail.

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<v Speaker 2>I took it upon myself to learn new words so

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<v Speaker 2>that I didn't have to like use a sentence to

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<v Speaker 2>describe something. I could just use that one word. And

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<v Speaker 2>so you know, my ballooned, and then poetry allowed it

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<v Speaker 2>to become more condensed, and I just stuck to it

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<v Speaker 2>from there. I never got bored. I just kept writing

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<v Speaker 2>poems about whatever I felt like, wow, wow.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, in the journey of kind of I one

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<v Speaker 1>could say, I guess becoming a poet is a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of you know, you really do describe yourself as a

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<v Speaker 1>documentor of just life around you. Like you even saying

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<v Speaker 1>that you were just going into such detail, almost like

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<v Speaker 1>a summer like neuroticism of just details of people's lives

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<v Speaker 1>that caused you insomnia. What do you think where did

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<v Speaker 1>that come from? What do you think that really kind

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<v Speaker 1>of was inside of you that just wanted to write

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<v Speaker 1>a detailed script and narration of everything your eyeballs were seeing,

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<v Speaker 1>even as a like as.

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<v Speaker 2>A kid, if you're good, you're good. I yeah, I

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<v Speaker 2>it was around that time that I that I realized

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<v Speaker 2>that I was suffering from depression. I started going to therapy.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, things were changing around that time, and I

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<v Speaker 2>became a little bit more quiet, more reserved with people

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<v Speaker 2>with peers, at school, with family, and I don't know,

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<v Speaker 2>at least with me. I'm not going to be prescriptive,

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<v Speaker 2>but like you stopped talking for a good month and

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<v Speaker 2>you start seeing a lot of things going on, you

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<v Speaker 2>start to notice. I became very observant around that time,

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<v Speaker 2>but I still needed something to say. I didn't trust

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<v Speaker 2>myself to speak out verbally, but I think there's I

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<v Speaker 2>think we all have an inherent need to be seen

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<v Speaker 2>be heard. So while my mouth didn't want to talk,

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<v Speaker 2>I let my pen do the talking. And you know,

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<v Speaker 2>it's you're a teenager, You're in high school. There's a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of changes going on. Things are becoming very very different,

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<v Speaker 2>and yeah, you know a lot of new things on

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<v Speaker 2>the horizon you have to worry about. You know, you're

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<v Speaker 2>starting to really think about careers in college. Yeah, I

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<v Speaker 2>wanted to document that. I wanted to catch everything and

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<v Speaker 2>process it. Poetry allowed me to really take these things

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<v Speaker 2>in think about my experiences more thoroughly and come to

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<v Speaker 2>some conclusions about what kind of person am I? Now?

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<v Speaker 2>What kind of person do I want to be? What

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<v Speaker 2>is this world that I mean? Why does society work

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<v Speaker 2>this way? Yeah? I needed it for my well being.

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<v Speaker 1>Absolutely absolutely, Tell me and thank you for sharing that.

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<v Speaker 1>That takes a lot, definitely to share that perspective and

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<v Speaker 1>that experience, So we really do appreciate you sharing that

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<v Speaker 1>with us. Tell me a little bit about how kind

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<v Speaker 1>of moving gears a little bit. How does that area

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<v Speaker 1>of South Bronx, How as a poet from Harlem, South Bronx,

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<v Speaker 1>what does that mean to your writing? I know, like,

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<v Speaker 1>as we talked about before before we start the show,

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<v Speaker 1>the New York City is like it's unlike I think

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<v Speaker 1>any other place in the world. I think the Bronx, right, Harlem,

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<v Speaker 1>there's such staples, but they're so unique in terms of

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<v Speaker 1>there it's just fertile ground. For so much has happened,

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<v Speaker 1>so much history, So many feet have walked there on

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<v Speaker 1>that ground, so much history, right, so much movement, action, pain, joy, beauty. Right,

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<v Speaker 1>so much has happened on those in just that area. Right.

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<v Speaker 1>How do you feel that the area, your environment of Harlem,

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<v Speaker 1>South Bronx. Has that really influenced and shaped who you

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<v Speaker 1>are as a writer or is that kind of just

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<v Speaker 1>another chapter in the whole you know sphere of who

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<v Speaker 1>Miguel is just one of the many layers of who

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<v Speaker 1>you are? Or has that really shaped who you are

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<v Speaker 1>as a writer?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, the city is fused to me, Like you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you if you're born and raised here, this is basically

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<v Speaker 2>who you are. It doesn't matter where I've gone, those

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<v Speaker 2>instincts are always there. But yeah, like you know, thinking

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<v Speaker 2>about my my neighborhoods, my stomping grounds, you know, historically

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<v Speaker 2>speaking as you say, like Harlem Renaissance, you know what

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<v Speaker 2>Langston Hughes crossed the same streets I did? You know,

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<v Speaker 2>Boogie down Bronx. This is the birthplace of hip hop's

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<v Speaker 2>It's it's a story place. It's a very storied place,

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<v Speaker 2>and you don't really like recognize that until later and

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<v Speaker 2>you like dive deep into the history of your place.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, as a kid, I it was just the place.

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<v Speaker 2>It was just where I am, the only place I know.

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<v Speaker 2>But yeah, it's it's It's always in my poetry, Like

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<v Speaker 2>even when I'm gone, I'm writing about New York well,

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<v Speaker 2>and it's kind of it's inseparable because it's like, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of my poems try to process things that

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<v Speaker 2>happen when I was young. Place is tied to those memories.

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<v Speaker 2>I feel like I can't have those memories without New York.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I will always place my poems somewhere, those feelings,

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<v Speaker 2>those like occurrences, that childhood that was in the backdrop

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<v Speaker 2>of concrete and asphalt and buildings, skyscrapers, cars are zipping by,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, the horns are blaring, crowds of people. It's inseparable.

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<v Speaker 2>It's always always there. Even when I'm writing about California,

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<v Speaker 2>I feel like New York is there.

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<v Speaker 1>Wow, wow, wow, No, that's amazing. It's and I think

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<v Speaker 1>I'm wondering you. I'm not a native New Yorker, but

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<v Speaker 1>you are. You tell me if I'm Wronger right, that

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<v Speaker 1>is something just so unique. Well, maybe not unique. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>sure if we have people from the South, they would

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<v Speaker 1>say maybe the South I was as a special place

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<v Speaker 1>in their heart. But yeah, New York is a very

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<v Speaker 1>very the city, New York City, very very special place. Now.

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<v Speaker 1>That's that's amazing that you said you're bonded you're fused

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<v Speaker 1>to it, and that's absolutely amazing.

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<v Speaker 2>For better for worse, you know, like it's it's a

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<v Speaker 2>famous place, well renowned. People across the world want to

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<v Speaker 2>come here. But you know, gentrification is always happening. Our

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<v Speaker 2>mayors are never good. You know, there's a constant fear

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<v Speaker 2>of you know, violence and you know, a fear of

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<v Speaker 2>a potential uptick and crime basically all the time, whether

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<v Speaker 2>it's happening or not. You know, it's for better or

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<v Speaker 2>for worse for sure, bit or sweet that.

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<v Speaker 1>Are sweet for better for worse. Now, that's a good

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<v Speaker 1>good way to put it. Now, I do want to

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<v Speaker 1>I want to now kind of go shift as we

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<v Speaker 1>kind of move forward down what has been your career

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<v Speaker 1>so far before we get to being a twenty twenty

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<v Speaker 1>two length and the us Fellow, Coved kunt of Fellow,

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<v Speaker 1>all these phenomenal works that you've done in accolades, I

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<v Speaker 1>want to talk about the time you spent at UC

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<v Speaker 1>Riverside and receiving your MSA and creative writing. I think

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<v Speaker 1>it's so pertinent and it intrigues me being as someone

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<v Speaker 1>that's lived on both West and East Coast. What I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>what was it like having the experience going to UC Riverside.

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<v Speaker 1>I went to actually you see Davis myself, I'm very

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<v Speaker 1>familiar with like the UC system. I'm just wondering, how

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<v Speaker 1>does how does how does anyone even from South Bronx Harlem?

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<v Speaker 1>How do you hear about a place like U see Riverside? Right?

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<v Speaker 1>How do you hear about? You know what made you

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<v Speaker 1>kind of traverse all the way to the other side

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<v Speaker 1>of the country to really pursue and continue your education

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<v Speaker 1>with writing? And what? What? What is the difference you

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<v Speaker 1>see West versus East Coast in terms of just the

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<v Speaker 1>environment as a poet? You know what? Was just somethings

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<v Speaker 1>you you took note of.

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<v Speaker 2>Got my bachelor's degree in psychology, and initially I wanted

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<v Speaker 2>to be a therapist, like I wanted to specialize in

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<v Speaker 2>like helping kids and teens overcome like neurodivergence. I wanted

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<v Speaker 2>to be support for people that dealt with things that

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<v Speaker 2>I dealt with when I was younger. But at some

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<v Speaker 2>point it must have been like early senior year, I

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<v Speaker 2>realized that this is not necessarily for me, and so

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<v Speaker 2>I was looking for something to commit to career wise

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<v Speaker 2>that I would not get bored with that I know that,

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<v Speaker 2>like my interests will never waiver and the only thing

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<v Speaker 2>that I could come up with is poetry. So once

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<v Speaker 2>I graduated, I applied to MFA programs, including uc Riverside,

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<v Speaker 2>and I was lucky to get a get an admission

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<v Speaker 2>for UCR and I, you know, I I was excited.

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<v Speaker 2>I was always interested in moving west. I was always

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<v Speaker 2>interested in living outside of the state. And you know,

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<v Speaker 2>at that point in my life, this is like twenty eighteen,

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<v Speaker 2>the stress of the city was getting to me. I

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<v Speaker 2>was starting to get tired of like walking in crowds.

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<v Speaker 2>I was craving something slower paced, something that would keep

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<v Speaker 2>my nerves low. So I was like, yeah, let's do it.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's go to calling so that you know that that's

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<v Speaker 2>what initially brought me out there, and you know it,

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<v Speaker 2>it did give me a sense of calm. It gave

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<v Speaker 2>me what I needed at the time. You know, nice weather,

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<v Speaker 2>sun all the time, you get that vitamin D. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>people are generally chiller, less hustle and bustle, a little

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<v Speaker 2>slower paced. You know, you got you got the beach

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<v Speaker 2>near by, like a nice clean beach nearby to go to.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, the only issue at the time is you

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<v Speaker 2>grow up in New York. It don't need a license,

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<v Speaker 2>you don't need to drive. So that became a problem

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<v Speaker 2>pretty quickly. I actually just got my license two years ago.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, wow, yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>First time. So yeah, it's it's it's nice, it's it's

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<v Speaker 2>low paced. But you know, I think within three years

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<v Speaker 2>I realized, Okay, I'm getting a little bored.

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<v Speaker 1>Now.

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<v Speaker 2>I need more I need more action, I need more activity.

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<v Speaker 2>There are no delis on the corners. Uh, like, I

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<v Speaker 2>need somewhere to go to for food at one in

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<v Speaker 2>the morning, and nothing's open except for McDonald's in California.

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<v Speaker 2>For some reason, I was missing the activity. So you

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<v Speaker 2>know that this was a good point in my life

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<v Speaker 2>to return. And yeah, it's I did. I feel like

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<v Speaker 2>this is always gonna be the case. I feel like

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<v Speaker 2>within a few years of being here in New York,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm gonna be like, oh I missed the slow pace

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<v Speaker 2>of Cali, and then maybe I'll go back. And then

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<v Speaker 2>within three years I'll be like, I'm bored here. I'm

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<v Speaker 2>going to go back to New York. You know, you

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<v Speaker 2>miss what you don't have.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, no, that's that's that's interesting. That is so fascinating. Man, man,

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<v Speaker 1>you needed a chop cheese at one am. So yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I have to go back to the city. Oh my goodness,

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<v Speaker 1>gracious right now. That that's really something to hear, though,

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<v Speaker 1>I do. I hear a lot of that, that expression

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<v Speaker 1>from a lot of people. People they love the slow

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<v Speaker 1>pace of maybe, let's say, in this case California, especially

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<v Speaker 1>a place like Riverside. It's so nice there. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>it's so relaxed, it's so it's literally the A one

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<v Speaker 1>eighty of New York City. I mean, you wouldn't even

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<v Speaker 1>be able to compare the two even on a similar day.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, it's really complete opposites of each other. So

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<v Speaker 1>it's kind of interesting to hear you say you eventually

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<v Speaker 1>wanted to go back to the hustle and bustle and

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<v Speaker 1>rancor that is the city. I'm curious too, then your

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<v Speaker 1>time there, just even as a writer, how did you

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<v Speaker 1>see your writing change or did it change when you

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<v Speaker 1>lived in California? You know, such a different paced, slower

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<v Speaker 1>paced environment. Did you see a difference in your poetry?

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<v Speaker 1>You're thinking the schematic of the design of how you

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<v Speaker 1>wrote what you wrote about.

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<v Speaker 2>For sure, for sure, and you know to the extent

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<v Speaker 2>that just being there affected my work. You know, like

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<v Speaker 2>I said before, a place is important to me. I

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<v Speaker 2>need a backdrop for what I'm writing about.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>So I remember walking around the campus of UCR like

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<v Speaker 2>for the first two three weeks. You should have seen me.

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<v Speaker 2>I was just like whoa, whoa, because it's just like

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<v Speaker 2>succulence everywhere, you know, just like introducing yourself, like familiarize

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<v Speaker 2>yourself with the new trees, the new plants. All of

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<v Speaker 2>a sudden, instead of you know, the rats and the roaches,

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<v Speaker 2>it's geckos or some other lizards just like skittering about

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<v Speaker 2>on your walk. The sunrises and the sunsets were different. Yeah, wow,

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<v Speaker 2>like like brighter. They say that it's air pollution, but

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<v Speaker 2>it's beautiful. So yeah, it just changed. It changed the

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<v Speaker 2>imagery of my work. There was there was less about

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<v Speaker 2>crowds of people and like losing yourself amongst them and

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<v Speaker 2>wanting connection, and it was more like it was almost

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<v Speaker 2>pastoral or pastoral leaning. That shift from you know, everything

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<v Speaker 2>around me as a building in a crowd to everything

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<v Speaker 2>around me are these beautiful plants and the warmth and

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<v Speaker 2>the quiet.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, yeah, it's it's really interesting sometimes to like

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<v Speaker 2>look at two poems of mind where one is like

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<v Speaker 2>very clearly New York and one is very clearly like

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<v Speaker 2>deserted California, Southern California. Yes, yeah, dramatic difference, like even

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<v Speaker 2>in tone.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah wow wow. Now that to even kind of I think,

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<v Speaker 1>to even notice that change in yourself, I think already

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<v Speaker 1>is a bit It's completely metaphorical, but also very shows

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<v Speaker 1>the level of self care that you have for yourself,

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<v Speaker 1>because most people probably wouldn't be able to address the

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<v Speaker 1>fact that they were going through that type of change.

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<v Speaker 1>Like you said, even seeing like the suck of us,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean just even lizards on the wall. Those those

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<v Speaker 1>are things people don't even notice when they go to

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<v Speaker 1>a different place. You know. The fact that you're able

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<v Speaker 1>to kind of recognize and do that kind of internal

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<v Speaker 1>self reflection that even you know, just the way how

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<v Speaker 1>you were seeing things, you're writing something, even those my

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<v Speaker 1>new details was really all changing because of your environment.

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<v Speaker 1>That's really very amazing to hear. So tell me a

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<v Speaker 1>little bit about your work, Kaved Kandum a fellow, that's

401
00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:22.000
<v Speaker 1>some huge, huge, huge You're a huge deal, Miguel, that's

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<v Speaker 1>a big, big deal. Tell me a little bit about

403
00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:26.359
<v Speaker 1>your time there as a fellow. You know we've here.

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<v Speaker 1>I hear stories all the time people that I know

405
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<v Speaker 1>they've you know, done that fellowship. And you know, obviously

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<v Speaker 1>you have some very very elite company from a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of amazing folks that have tooken that that pledge before you.

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<v Speaker 1>So tell us a little bit about your time as

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<v Speaker 1>a fellow there.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I mean I yeah, I got the news that

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<v Speaker 2>I got accepted for my first retreat last year.

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<v Speaker 1>Wow.

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<v Speaker 2>And I I I was actually flabbergasted because I graduated

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<v Speaker 2>from the MFA in twenty twenty and I had a

415
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<v Speaker 2>peer there who was a year ahead of me. Her

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<v Speaker 2>name is Jasmine Elizabeth Smith, fantastic, brilliant poet.

417
00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:18.119
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and you.

418
00:25:18.039 --> 00:25:21.440
<v Speaker 2>Know we were the only two black poets there.

419
00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:22.279
<v Speaker 1>Wow.

420
00:25:22.440 --> 00:25:27.759
<v Speaker 2>And you know, before she graduated, she was telling me

421
00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:30.599
<v Speaker 2>over and over reply a plata Cave, Please applat to Cove.

422
00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:33.720
<v Speaker 2>You have to apply to Cove all the time, but

423
00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:38.680
<v Speaker 2>tell me to do so. She graduates, I start my

424
00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:45.640
<v Speaker 2>second year of the MFA, and you know, the year

425
00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:50.240
<v Speaker 2>becomes twenty twenty and then suddenly it's a pandemic, so

426
00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:53.559
<v Speaker 2>that Cove was canceled. I believe the cove after that

427
00:25:53.720 --> 00:25:56.720
<v Speaker 2>was also canceled, and so in twenty twenty two they

428
00:25:56.759 --> 00:25:59.559
<v Speaker 2>had to bring bring in the people that were accepted

429
00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:03.799
<v Speaker 2>initial for twenty twenty, so they were not accepting applications

430
00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:07.880
<v Speaker 2>for that year. So I applied for the twenty twenty

431
00:26:07.880 --> 00:26:11.839
<v Speaker 2>three conference, and that was my first time applying, and

432
00:26:11.880 --> 00:26:18.240
<v Speaker 2>I was just astounded that I got in. But I

433
00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:22.039
<v Speaker 2>think I was more shocked when I got there, how

434
00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:26.920
<v Speaker 2>amazing it was, like genuinely how amazing, Like it filled

435
00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:32.519
<v Speaker 2>my heart, like, you know, for for all the good

436
00:26:32.519 --> 00:26:34.400
<v Speaker 2>that the MFA did for me, I learned a lot.

437
00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:38.119
<v Speaker 2>I met, you know, peers and friends that I'm going

438
00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:43.039
<v Speaker 2>to hold on to forever my work grew. I think

439
00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:45.279
<v Speaker 2>it's always going to be the case for most people.

440
00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:49.480
<v Speaker 2>I don't think I've heard anyone disagree with this idea.

441
00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:53.680
<v Speaker 2>The MFA is never what you expected today. You imagine

442
00:26:53.720 --> 00:27:01.160
<v Speaker 2>something a little I don't know, idyllic. You imagine some

443
00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:05.240
<v Speaker 2>sort of like artistic heaven the MFA, But it's not

444
00:27:05.279 --> 00:27:11.720
<v Speaker 2>exactly that. Speaking for myself, Covid was exactly that, you know,

445
00:27:11.880 --> 00:27:16.400
<v Speaker 2>like all of those poets were gifted and kind and sweet,

446
00:27:16.519 --> 00:27:21.799
<v Speaker 2>and they hold you tenderly. You know I have social anxiety,

447
00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:27.319
<v Speaker 2>and that dissipated in a day. Wow, I was talking

448
00:27:27.319 --> 00:27:30.160
<v Speaker 2>to everybody, and everybody was talking to me like I

449
00:27:30.200 --> 00:27:32.599
<v Speaker 2>wasn't nervous anymore. I wasn't scared to share my stuff.

450
00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:37.000
<v Speaker 2>I wasn't scared to talk about anything. It was beautiful, beautiful.

451
00:27:37.160 --> 00:27:39.920
<v Speaker 2>Last year, it was, you know, one of the greatest

452
00:27:39.960 --> 00:27:43.480
<v Speaker 2>weeks of my life. I went again this past summer

453
00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:45.559
<v Speaker 2>again one of the greatest weeks of my life.

454
00:27:46.720 --> 00:27:50.200
<v Speaker 1>Wow. Wow, Now those are such heavy but also beautiful words.

455
00:27:50.440 --> 00:27:52.920
<v Speaker 1>I feel like in most of those, in situations like that,

456
00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:55.960
<v Speaker 1>where you're with like the elite of the elite, the

457
00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:58.799
<v Speaker 1>top of your class that you're you know, those are

458
00:27:58.839 --> 00:28:03.279
<v Speaker 1>the top people in your in your sport, right in

459
00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:07.160
<v Speaker 1>your arena, in your craft, in your art. I think

460
00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:11.400
<v Speaker 1>usually people they find themselves with that intense imposter syndrome,

461
00:28:12.200 --> 00:28:15.200
<v Speaker 1>you know, where it's like, dang, everyone I thought I

462
00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:18.279
<v Speaker 1>was talented, I get everyone else is talented. People also

463
00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:20.680
<v Speaker 1>can walk and shoot them at the same time, you

464
00:28:20.759 --> 00:28:22.680
<v Speaker 1>know what I mean. People, You know, people are just

465
00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:25.599
<v Speaker 1>as good or even not even better, right, And it's

466
00:28:25.640 --> 00:28:28.279
<v Speaker 1>so it must have been such a great feeling, Like

467
00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:31.759
<v Speaker 1>you said, it wasn't like it was an environment that

468
00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:35.240
<v Speaker 1>was everyone's gifts were just flowing with each other like

469
00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:39.559
<v Speaker 1>a circle. Right like you said it was you felt full.

470
00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:43.319
<v Speaker 1>I mean that must have been. I mean, yeah, you said,

471
00:28:43.319 --> 00:28:45.680
<v Speaker 1>greatest week of your life. I mean, what do you

472
00:28:45.720 --> 00:28:49.759
<v Speaker 1>think it fostered that type of environment at that kave

473
00:28:49.960 --> 00:28:54.079
<v Speaker 1>kanem as opposed to you know that intense imposter syndrome

474
00:28:54.440 --> 00:28:58.200
<v Speaker 1>people that are so great When people gather together in

475
00:28:58.240 --> 00:29:02.240
<v Speaker 1>those types of environments, it tends to be a little off.

476
00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:05.079
<v Speaker 1>People do feel that anxiety. What made this so different,

477
00:29:05.079 --> 00:29:05.480
<v Speaker 1>you think?

478
00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:10.680
<v Speaker 2>I mean a number of things I can name, and

479
00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:14.359
<v Speaker 2>I'm sure it's a lot more that I wouldn't even

480
00:29:14.359 --> 00:29:18.440
<v Speaker 2>be able to put my finger on. But I feel

481
00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:22.000
<v Speaker 2>like everyone there is just grateful to be there, and

482
00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:28.599
<v Speaker 2>you know, like there with a sense of humility, not

483
00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:32.559
<v Speaker 2>trying to perform or outperform. We're all there on a mission.

484
00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:36.599
<v Speaker 2>We want our work to get better, and we want company.

485
00:29:36.640 --> 00:29:40.400
<v Speaker 2>We want people to be able to hear us and

486
00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:45.000
<v Speaker 2>accept us. And I think it's just a space where

487
00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:48.960
<v Speaker 2>you know a number of the walls are torn down.

488
00:29:50.400 --> 00:29:53.880
<v Speaker 2>Every covey begins with the opening circle, the night that

489
00:29:53.920 --> 00:30:04.359
<v Speaker 2>everyone arrives and it's all inspiring and terrifying and sad.

490
00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:09.319
<v Speaker 2>Everyone sits in a circle and goes around the room

491
00:30:09.799 --> 00:30:14.599
<v Speaker 2>answering the question why are you here? However you interpret

492
00:30:14.680 --> 00:30:21.279
<v Speaker 2>that question, and people have stories, people have experiences, people

493
00:30:21.319 --> 00:30:25.640
<v Speaker 2>have things that they've dealt with, you know, just a

494
00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:28.759
<v Speaker 2>few years, a few months, a few days prior to

495
00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:32.279
<v Speaker 2>this moment, and they have stories to tell. They have

496
00:30:32.359 --> 00:30:36.839
<v Speaker 2>things that they've dealt with. They've lost people, they've lost jobs,

497
00:30:37.960 --> 00:30:45.079
<v Speaker 2>they've lost time. Yeah, it becomes very honest and very

498
00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:52.000
<v Speaker 2>thorough and very beautiful. Just how vulnerable everyone gets from

499
00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:56.400
<v Speaker 2>the jump. That's the beginning of the week. Everyone just

500
00:30:57.079 --> 00:31:02.960
<v Speaker 2>basically confessing to what they've gone through. And I think

501
00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:05.519
<v Speaker 2>I think that tears down the wall sufficiently for you

502
00:31:05.599 --> 00:31:10.160
<v Speaker 2>to you know, understand, these are not these are not

503
00:31:10.200 --> 00:31:12.640
<v Speaker 2>complete strangers to you anymore. For the rest of the week,

504
00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:16.039
<v Speaker 2>you know what they've been through, or at least a

505
00:31:16.039 --> 00:31:18.839
<v Speaker 2>fraction of what they've been through. Uh, And you can

506
00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:23.119
<v Speaker 2>hold them and they can hold you having shared your

507
00:31:23.160 --> 00:31:27.839
<v Speaker 2>own vulnerability, and that makes sharing the poems easier within

508
00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:31.559
<v Speaker 2>your group or at the readings, or you know, just

509
00:31:32.880 --> 00:31:37.240
<v Speaker 2>hanging out having lunch together to share a poem that

510
00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:42.200
<v Speaker 2>you wrote, It's It's It's a nice time. The vulnerability

511
00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:47.240
<v Speaker 2>allows us to be more open and receptive people and

512
00:31:47.240 --> 00:31:47.920
<v Speaker 2>giving people.

513
00:31:49.920 --> 00:31:51.880
<v Speaker 1>Now. I know we had started off this interview we

514
00:31:51.920 --> 00:31:54.920
<v Speaker 1>had talked about your I had read all of your

515
00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:58.680
<v Speaker 1>amazing accolades, and I remember you had said you're still

516
00:31:58.720 --> 00:32:02.960
<v Speaker 1>fledgling with your success. Tell me where you I mean,

517
00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:06.000
<v Speaker 1>where are you at in this day like now? I

518
00:32:06.039 --> 00:32:08.680
<v Speaker 1>know you use the word fledgling, but where do you

519
00:32:08.680 --> 00:32:11.200
<v Speaker 1>feel like you truly are now? I mean, are you

520
00:32:11.319 --> 00:32:13.960
<v Speaker 1>Are you happy with where you are as as you've

521
00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:17.839
<v Speaker 1>developed as a poet, as a writer, all these you know, again,

522
00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:21.720
<v Speaker 1>distinguished achievements that you've been able to to surmount to

523
00:32:22.519 --> 00:32:24.960
<v Speaker 1>get to or do you do you feel like you're

524
00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:27.359
<v Speaker 1>at a point now where you feel comfortable, where you

525
00:32:27.400 --> 00:32:29.720
<v Speaker 1>feel like, hey, I can, I can. I am a

526
00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:32.200
<v Speaker 1>poet and I know it, I know this, I am

527
00:32:32.200 --> 00:32:35.000
<v Speaker 1>a writer. Or do you still feel like there's aspects

528
00:32:35.039 --> 00:32:38.559
<v Speaker 1>of you where you have not gone to that quote

529
00:32:38.599 --> 00:32:41.759
<v Speaker 1>unquote mountaintop? How much? How much do you feel like

530
00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:46.960
<v Speaker 1>you still are climbing on your journey.

531
00:32:49.000 --> 00:32:50.880
<v Speaker 2>I feel like I've done a good amount of work

532
00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:54.960
<v Speaker 2>fighting off the impostor syndrome. It's still there, it still

533
00:32:55.000 --> 00:32:58.079
<v Speaker 2>comes up from time to time. I think I was

534
00:32:58.160 --> 00:33:00.880
<v Speaker 2>lucky enough that I was able to shake off the

535
00:33:01.000 --> 00:33:03.720
<v Speaker 2>question of am I really a poet? Back in high school.

536
00:33:04.759 --> 00:33:08.640
<v Speaker 2>I know I've known people in their m phase questioning

537
00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:16.000
<v Speaker 2>whether they're a poet. One of the major parts of

538
00:33:16.039 --> 00:33:20.160
<v Speaker 2>that fight for me personally is, you know, comparing myself

539
00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:26.160
<v Speaker 2>to others, this idea that I wanted a book, two

540
00:33:26.240 --> 00:33:29.559
<v Speaker 2>books published before I turned thirty. I'm about to turn

541
00:33:29.640 --> 00:33:34.319
<v Speaker 2>thirty in a month, a month from today. No book yet,

542
00:33:34.640 --> 00:33:42.359
<v Speaker 2>no manuscript yet. And that required accepting that there's so

543
00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:46.720
<v Speaker 2>much time, that there's just so much time. I've been

544
00:33:46.759 --> 00:33:50.920
<v Speaker 2>working on these poems NonStop, but the manuscript is not ready.

545
00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:55.000
<v Speaker 2>I'm going to give it it's time. I'm going to

546
00:33:55.079 --> 00:33:58.000
<v Speaker 2>keep writing these poems until I feel ready to put

547
00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:01.319
<v Speaker 2>them in the right order and I am confident and

548
00:34:01.400 --> 00:34:06.519
<v Speaker 2>happy with what that manuscript is. I read an interview

549
00:34:06.599 --> 00:34:10.480
<v Speaker 2>with Eduardo corral from a few years back when when

550
00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:16.119
<v Speaker 2>when he released Slow Lightning, and I believe it was

551
00:34:16.159 --> 00:34:20.840
<v Speaker 2>like like he said that it was eight years post

552
00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:26.440
<v Speaker 2>MFA that he worked on that his first collection of poems,

553
00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:28.719
<v Speaker 2>and he was asked about that in the interview when

554
00:34:30.079 --> 00:34:34.440
<v Speaker 2>that was his rationale, like it needed time and I

555
00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:37.840
<v Speaker 2>was willing to give it that time. So you know,

556
00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:40.960
<v Speaker 2>I've I've learned to wrangle with my with my impatience.

557
00:34:41.599 --> 00:34:44.280
<v Speaker 2>It's not a race anymore. It's it's not about me,

558
00:34:46.639 --> 00:34:50.000
<v Speaker 2>you know, getting a book out at the same age

559
00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:52.719
<v Speaker 2>as these other people. It's about me getting my book

560
00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:56.639
<v Speaker 2>out on my time when I think it's ready. And

561
00:34:56.719 --> 00:34:59.440
<v Speaker 2>in the meantime, like I'm still growing my craft, you know,

562
00:34:59.480 --> 00:35:04.199
<v Speaker 2>like I'm still developing this work. It's not like this

563
00:35:04.239 --> 00:35:10.719
<v Speaker 2>time is being wasted. I'm committed to only getting better. So, yeah,

564
00:35:10.920 --> 00:35:15.559
<v Speaker 2>I patience is key. The book will be ready when

565
00:35:15.559 --> 00:35:18.079
<v Speaker 2>it's ready. In the meantime, I'm just gonna keep writing poems.

566
00:35:18.599 --> 00:35:21.920
<v Speaker 1>Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's such a beautiful thing.

567
00:35:22.119 --> 00:35:25.079
<v Speaker 1>And I also think that's honestly, I think you may

568
00:35:25.079 --> 00:35:28.320
<v Speaker 1>have just unlocked the key because that is so freeing.

569
00:35:29.079 --> 00:35:32.719
<v Speaker 1>I feel for you to just say I'm on the time,

570
00:35:32.920 --> 00:35:35.599
<v Speaker 1>it's gonna come out when it's ready to come out.

571
00:35:35.880 --> 00:35:38.239
<v Speaker 1>I'm not. And like you said, people, I think get

572
00:35:38.280 --> 00:35:41.400
<v Speaker 1>into this moment in this sphere of thinking I need

573
00:35:41.440 --> 00:35:42.920
<v Speaker 1>to do this, I need to do this before this

574
00:35:43.039 --> 00:35:44.920
<v Speaker 1>certain age. I need to hit this mark, I need

575
00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:45.440
<v Speaker 1>to do this.

576
00:35:45.440 --> 00:35:45.800
<v Speaker 2>Do that.

577
00:35:46.360 --> 00:35:48.440
<v Speaker 1>And again, as cliche as it is, we look at

578
00:35:48.480 --> 00:35:51.800
<v Speaker 1>everyone's highlight real you don't see what people have gone

579
00:35:51.880 --> 00:35:55.440
<v Speaker 1>through to maybe where that person did something in a

580
00:35:55.440 --> 00:35:57.639
<v Speaker 1>short amount of time, but you didn't see what they

581
00:35:57.639 --> 00:36:00.559
<v Speaker 1>had to go through to get they solve window that

582
00:36:00.599 --> 00:36:02.840
<v Speaker 1>they had and this is just when they had finally

583
00:36:02.880 --> 00:36:06.440
<v Speaker 1>their time to jump on an opportunity. And it is

584
00:36:06.519 --> 00:36:09.400
<v Speaker 1>such a freeing thing when you, like you said, wrangling

585
00:36:09.519 --> 00:36:14.480
<v Speaker 1>in patients. Patience really is such a major key of life,

586
00:36:14.639 --> 00:36:17.400
<v Speaker 1>because I remember I said this to a friend the

587
00:36:17.480 --> 00:36:21.360
<v Speaker 1>other day. You know, we can you know, we can

588
00:36:21.400 --> 00:36:25.360
<v Speaker 1>only bend the universe to our will so far. Right

589
00:36:25.880 --> 00:36:27.360
<v Speaker 1>at the end of the day, it's a big, old

590
00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:29.960
<v Speaker 1>universe with a lot of question marks that we have

591
00:36:30.199 --> 00:36:33.519
<v Speaker 1>no control over. You only can really control what's right

592
00:36:33.559 --> 00:36:35.840
<v Speaker 1>in front of you and how you're dealing with things

593
00:36:35.880 --> 00:36:39.239
<v Speaker 1>in your own life, choosing to stay, walk away from

594
00:36:39.760 --> 00:36:44.039
<v Speaker 1>continue to be in different situations. So I think that

595
00:36:44.119 --> 00:36:47.559
<v Speaker 1>must be such a freeing feeling to kind of just say, hey,

596
00:36:47.760 --> 00:36:50.639
<v Speaker 1>I'm on my time. This is when my book comes out,

597
00:36:50.840 --> 00:36:55.719
<v Speaker 1>my first whatever maybe collection all these things, this is

598
00:36:55.719 --> 00:36:57.760
<v Speaker 1>when it's going to come out. How did you kind

599
00:36:57.800 --> 00:37:00.119
<v Speaker 1>of reach that center of peace that I think a

600
00:37:00.159 --> 00:37:03.639
<v Speaker 1>lot of people don't reach. I think it's very hard

601
00:37:03.719 --> 00:37:10.679
<v Speaker 1>to build that mental fortitude of patients, especially in the arts.

602
00:37:11.199 --> 00:37:20.159
<v Speaker 2>Mm hmm. I I think it's once I really started

603
00:37:20.199 --> 00:37:23.719
<v Speaker 2>noticing that my work was getting better. I think that

604
00:37:23.880 --> 00:37:28.039
<v Speaker 2>was probably one of the biggest I guess drivers towards

605
00:37:28.039 --> 00:37:32.719
<v Speaker 2>me being calmer and patient about the speed of my career,

606
00:37:34.280 --> 00:37:39.039
<v Speaker 2>knowing that I am honing my craft and the signs

607
00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:41.760
<v Speaker 2>are there, you know, like being able to see that

608
00:37:42.440 --> 00:37:47.559
<v Speaker 2>this poem from you know, this year, I can I

609
00:37:47.599 --> 00:37:49.320
<v Speaker 2>can read that, and I can compare it to the

610
00:37:49.320 --> 00:37:53.360
<v Speaker 2>one that I wrote two years ago, and I much

611
00:37:53.400 --> 00:37:54.400
<v Speaker 2>prefer this new one.

612
00:37:54.880 --> 00:37:55.280
<v Speaker 1>Mm hmm.

613
00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:59.719
<v Speaker 2>It's proof that you are on a trajectory so long

614
00:37:59.760 --> 00:38:05.239
<v Speaker 2>as you commit to bettering yourself, bettering your craft, making

615
00:38:05.280 --> 00:38:13.000
<v Speaker 2>your voice stronger, expanding any aspect of the way that

616
00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:16.719
<v Speaker 2>you write. If you're committed to that and you see

617
00:38:16.760 --> 00:38:20.639
<v Speaker 2>the progress, you see the growth, you know, those bigger

618
00:38:20.639 --> 00:38:24.920
<v Speaker 2>accomplishments will come. That book will put itself together at

619
00:38:24.920 --> 00:38:28.000
<v Speaker 2>some point, but the time is being spent well. It

620
00:38:28.000 --> 00:38:31.400
<v Speaker 2>also helps having peers. It also helps having friends that

621
00:38:31.480 --> 00:38:34.760
<v Speaker 2>are on the same on the same path that you

622
00:38:34.800 --> 00:38:38.800
<v Speaker 2>are trying to put that book together, trying to put

623
00:38:38.800 --> 00:38:44.719
<v Speaker 2>their second book together, and being able to commiserate, being

624
00:38:44.760 --> 00:38:51.079
<v Speaker 2>able to support each other, that sense of community. There

625
00:38:51.079 --> 00:38:53.159
<v Speaker 2>were periods of time where I didn't have it, and

626
00:38:54.000 --> 00:38:57.400
<v Speaker 2>that lack was very, very painful, and then there were

627
00:38:57.440 --> 00:39:00.320
<v Speaker 2>times where I did have it, and I I have

628
00:39:00.360 --> 00:39:05.599
<v Speaker 2>a lot of it now. That support system is really

629
00:39:05.639 --> 00:39:06.559
<v Speaker 2>really important.

630
00:39:07.039 --> 00:39:11.239
<v Speaker 1>One thousand percent. Yes, community, community means so much. Thank

631
00:39:11.280 --> 00:39:14.360
<v Speaker 1>you so much, Miguel for sharing. It's been such a

632
00:39:14.400 --> 00:39:18.599
<v Speaker 1>such an amazing conversation thus far. I really appreciate you

633
00:39:19.440 --> 00:39:22.719
<v Speaker 1>opening up your words to us, heart, mind, soul, all

634
00:39:22.760 --> 00:39:27.679
<v Speaker 1>those good things. Miguel. Miguel, we have one last question

635
00:39:27.840 --> 00:39:31.360
<v Speaker 1>for you on the Post Speaks podcast today. Miguel, why

636
00:39:31.400 --> 00:39:32.760
<v Speaker 1>do you need to get your words out?

637
00:39:37.119 --> 00:39:42.159
<v Speaker 2>I I feel like this is the the most that

638
00:39:42.199 --> 00:39:47.159
<v Speaker 2>I can give. Poetry is the activity that I enjoy

639
00:39:47.199 --> 00:39:53.920
<v Speaker 2>the most. I think that it's it's like that art,

640
00:39:54.159 --> 00:39:57.840
<v Speaker 2>that that making of a thing, putting those words together,

641
00:39:58.719 --> 00:40:02.320
<v Speaker 2>making them right or as close to right as possible.

642
00:40:03.280 --> 00:40:06.440
<v Speaker 2>That's my favorite kind of toiling. That's that's my favorite

643
00:40:06.760 --> 00:40:10.000
<v Speaker 2>way to spend a few hours, to spend a few days,

644
00:40:10.079 --> 00:40:13.480
<v Speaker 2>to spend a few months, and there are stories to

645
00:40:13.519 --> 00:40:17.719
<v Speaker 2>be told. It's not just mine. You know, my story

646
00:40:17.920 --> 00:40:24.000
<v Speaker 2>includes my sister's story, my parents' stories, my grandparents' stories.

647
00:40:25.480 --> 00:40:27.320
<v Speaker 2>I don't know anybody else in my family that told

648
00:40:27.360 --> 00:40:33.079
<v Speaker 2>these stories. I have peers that are telling stories. You know,

649
00:40:33.800 --> 00:40:37.360
<v Speaker 2>of different parts of the city, different neighborhoods or something.

650
00:40:37.679 --> 00:40:42.719
<v Speaker 2>You know, different states, different countries. I think, I think

651
00:40:42.760 --> 00:40:45.320
<v Speaker 2>these stories, the stories of my neighbors, the stories of

652
00:40:45.400 --> 00:40:47.840
<v Speaker 2>like the working class people of color in the Bronx,

653
00:40:49.159 --> 00:40:51.480
<v Speaker 2>they need to be told. They need to be told.

654
00:40:51.840 --> 00:40:57.360
<v Speaker 2>You know, they can people can try to like obscure

655
00:40:58.320 --> 00:41:00.880
<v Speaker 2>certain histories, but like, so long as somebody is telling

656
00:41:00.920 --> 00:41:05.519
<v Speaker 2>these stories, those people will never be gone. There is

657
00:41:05.559 --> 00:41:10.440
<v Speaker 2>an immortalization. So it is a sense of responsibility. If

658
00:41:10.480 --> 00:41:14.440
<v Speaker 2>you're willing to give your words to explain the hardships

659
00:41:15.119 --> 00:41:18.880
<v Speaker 2>that people go through for living where you live, for

660
00:41:18.960 --> 00:41:23.440
<v Speaker 2>being the color that you are, for being queer, you know,

661
00:41:23.960 --> 00:41:29.320
<v Speaker 2>it's all worth it. It's all worth it. It's it's

662
00:41:29.320 --> 00:41:32.519
<v Speaker 2>my biggest drive. I have to I just have to.

663
00:41:34.480 --> 00:41:38.039
<v Speaker 1>Nice, nice, absolutely, Thank you so much, Miguel, Then thank

664
00:41:38.079 --> 00:41:41.039
<v Speaker 1>you for sharing all of your amazing words everyone. That's

665
00:41:41.079 --> 00:41:46.320
<v Speaker 1>why Miguel needs to use words out all right, and now, Miguel,

666
00:41:46.519 --> 00:41:48.480
<v Speaker 1>tell us what is the rest of twenty twenty four

667
00:41:48.559 --> 00:41:51.760
<v Speaker 1>looking for you? Right now? Obviously we got we're nswering

668
00:41:51.840 --> 00:41:55.000
<v Speaker 1>the last chur of twenty twenty four. So what is

669
00:41:55.159 --> 00:41:57.920
<v Speaker 1>the rest of the year looking like for you? Any events?

670
00:41:57.920 --> 00:41:59.880
<v Speaker 1>And tell us where can folks check out all of

671
00:41:59.880 --> 00:42:03.199
<v Speaker 1>you are amazing and beautiful work. Any websites, social media leaks,

672
00:42:03.320 --> 00:42:04.320
<v Speaker 1>tell the folks out there.

673
00:42:04.679 --> 00:42:08.679
<v Speaker 2>Yeah for sure. So I this Thursday, I'm actually going

674
00:42:08.760 --> 00:42:11.920
<v Speaker 2>to be at a reading. It's like the Exquisits series.

675
00:42:12.920 --> 00:42:17.119
<v Speaker 2>You can follow them at Exquisits BK on Instagram. Yeah,

676
00:42:17.239 --> 00:42:22.239
<v Speaker 2>it's five queer poets twelve minutes each at the Aberdeen

677
00:42:22.280 --> 00:42:25.800
<v Speaker 2>Community Garden in Brooklyn. It's also going to be streamed.

678
00:42:26.559 --> 00:42:29.639
<v Speaker 2>There's gonna be a zoom so you can follow them

679
00:42:29.639 --> 00:42:35.400
<v Speaker 2>for information there. I'm looking forward to a few poems

680
00:42:35.440 --> 00:42:39.599
<v Speaker 2>that are gonna come out of mine in the Colorado

681
00:42:39.679 --> 00:42:45.519
<v Speaker 2>Review and three other poems in Narrative that they were

682
00:42:45.599 --> 00:42:50.440
<v Speaker 2>named the finalist of or a finalists for their sixteenth

683
00:42:50.480 --> 00:42:54.719
<v Speaker 2>Annual Poetry Contest. So I'm excited for those six poems

684
00:42:54.760 --> 00:42:57.960
<v Speaker 2>to come out later this year. And I'm just going

685
00:42:58.000 --> 00:43:00.760
<v Speaker 2>to keep writing, keep writing, keep it floor in my city.

686
00:43:01.400 --> 00:43:03.400
<v Speaker 2>Finding open mics.

687
00:43:03.400 --> 00:43:06.880
<v Speaker 1>Yeah absolutely. Where can we find your stuff? Any links? Website,

688
00:43:06.920 --> 00:43:07.480
<v Speaker 1>social media?

689
00:43:08.239 --> 00:43:14.800
<v Speaker 2>Check out I'm mmp poetry on Instagram.

690
00:43:16.840 --> 00:43:20.960
<v Speaker 1>All right, everyone check off. All of Miguel's links will

691
00:43:21.000 --> 00:43:24.119
<v Speaker 1>be down below in the detailed box section. No matter

692
00:43:24.159 --> 00:43:27.519
<v Speaker 1>what platform, you listen to this amazing podcast on. Again,

693
00:43:27.599 --> 00:43:29.719
<v Speaker 1>a big thank you, Thank you so much Miguel for

694
00:43:29.800 --> 00:43:31.800
<v Speaker 1>joining us today on the Post Speaks Podcast.

695
00:43:32.320 --> 00:43:34.800
<v Speaker 2>Thank you so much. I appreciate it absolutely.

696
00:43:34.800 --> 00:43:37.480
<v Speaker 1>And again everyone go check off Miguel's amazing works. His

697
00:43:37.639 --> 00:43:40.920
<v Speaker 1>links will be down below in the description box by

698
00:43:40.920 --> 00:43:43.039
<v Speaker 1>where you listen to this podcast? Everyone, This is the

699
00:43:43.039 --> 00:43:45.599
<v Speaker 1>Post Speaks Podcast, Like I said, the number one poetry

700
00:43:45.599 --> 00:43:48.480
<v Speaker 1>podcast in the world. Everyone, all right, thank you so much.

701
00:43:48.800 --> 00:43:58.159
<v Speaker 1>Talk to you soon, boye bye