Tales From The Darkmaas Side: The Interview

[darkmaas]

Also: do you look like the dude in your avatar . Or dress like him? Just for that poetic flair.....

I do look a bit like him. My beard is getting grey. Alas I lack his taste in haberdashery. He's actually a painting by Durer (who is more famous for his etchings). He's Frederick the something or other, but he answers to Fred.

::

 

[butters]

wonderful thread, once again, offering insights into characters we might not get to know otherwise.

hello, darkmaas - your writes are a fascinating blend of flavours and it's been a pleasure tasting them! one that i could eat over and over (of many) is Dark Feel in Wormwood . there's a richness of sound, a studied languor of that underlying bitterness couched in the equally studied fey and masking sweet. everything about this piece underscores itself with the theatrical, poses being struck, the head on the platter being offered . . . it feels so complete a performance i'm left smelling the greasepaint as the characters wipe off their masks. i absolutely love it.

so, a question: you're clearly a study of character, as some of your replies in this thread indicate; how does that translate as a skill when it comes to personal relationships? does it stand you in good stead, or dissolve like a spoon of sugar in hot tea when understanding your partners?

if this is too personal a question, please feel free to ignore it. i'm not entirely certain where it sprang from though given my own interest in social interactions - that how and why of people - i hope you forgive such a nosy question!

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Even though we have shared these rooms for a good few years I don't really know you at all ......... tell me about yourself

 

[Angeline]

I was fascinated by Desejo's noting that you place poems in scenes that revolve around transience, like hotels or bars. And then you connected that to the observation of private transactions in public settings. That's something that I've felt reading your poems, but never really understood as a theme of yours. So thank you both for that insight. One of the things I am really liking about these interviews is that we get a window into what the poet's interests and motivations are. That's good in and of itself, but also helpful for future critique we give each other.

I'm also interested in your thoughts on distillation (that should bring The Fool into the thread!). In one poem you talk about distilling love from ardor. That is another theme you've explored, no? And then you mention distilling the poem to yield a purer, stronger product. So I'm guessing you think about this idea of distilling a lot. Perhaps that is somehow related to your profession or the fact that you were writing your responses post-prandially lol, but I now more clearly see a streak of the alchemist in you.

(PS I am being patient about the original question.)

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Proust puts this down in front of you and sits back..........

(Spoken in a rich, germanic accent.)


My World Famous Questionaire

• If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

• What is the best gift you’ve received?

• Which hobby would you pursue if you had more time?

• If you could have any super power what would it be?

• What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?

• What was your most epic road trip?

• What food brings back childhood memories?

• Which book most influenced your life?

• What is the most valuable piece of advise you ever received?

• If you could go back and relive one day in your life. Which one
would it be and why?

• What advice would you give your ten year old self today?

• What do you most admire in a man?

• What do you most admire in a woman?

• What word or phrase do you most over-use?

• Who are your favourite writers?

• Which artists do you most admire?

(I'm just the messenger.)

 

[darkmaas]

Ah, the questions get more difficult and personal.

After I bare all, will you still respect me in the morning?

::

 

[Angeline]

Ah, the questions get more difficult and personal.

After I bare all, will you still respect me in the morning?

::

What are you wearing?

 

[darkmaas]

wonderful thread, once again, offering insights into characters we might not get to know otherwise.

hello, darkmaas - your writes are a fascinating blend of flavours and it's been a pleasure tasting them! one that i could eat over and over (of many) is Dark Feel in Wormwood . there's a richness of sound, a studied languor of that underlying bitterness couched in the equally studied fey and masking sweet. everything about this piece underscores itself with the theatrical, poses being struck, the head on the platter being offered . . . it feels so complete a performance i'm left smelling the greasepaint as the characters wipe off their masks. i absolutely love it.

so, a question: you're clearly a study of character, as some of your replies in this thread indicate; how does that translate as a skill when it comes to personal relationships? does it stand you in good stead, or dissolve like a spoon of sugar in hot tea when understanding your partners?

if this is too personal a question, please feel free to ignore it. i'm not entirely certain where it sprang from though given my own interest in social interactions - that how and why of people - i hope you forgive such a nosy question!

Understanding other humans is a useful skill. If you do a lot of negotiation it's both practical and rewarding. (A seduction is a type of negotiation and ... well I don't think we need to go down that path.)

You mention "personal relationships" and "partners". Understanding their drives and being able to predict their reactions to things is a start, but not such a big step. You have to also understand yourself (very difficult) and then be able understand how your actions are perceived and their likely response (getting really difficult) and then you have to both desire and know how to tailor your behavior to their needs and temper your expectations of their response to your needs and that takes a lot more than mere poetry.

I could go on and on but there's no magic. Social interactions imply a certain risk and real life interactions move at the speed of conversation. Poetry might develop a certain verbal dexterity which is useful, but imho it's not a shortcut to social grace. Witness all the lonely poets freezing in their garrets.

::

 

[darkmaas]

What are you wearing?

Something cerulean.

 

[Angeline]

Something cerulean.

Hawt.

 

[darkmaas]

Even though we have shared these rooms for a good few years I don't really know you at all ......... tell me about yourself

Six foot two, eyes of blue and an easy laugh. I studied chemistry and engineering with minors in art history and architecture.

Married thirty something years with a daughter at university.

When I was 1 year old, I beat Margot Kidder in a beauty contest. She went on to be Superman's squeeze and I did not.

These days I mostly drink red wine (if you are considering buying). I don't smoke.

I used to travel a lot, both for business and pleasure but less in the last decade.

I can speak French without much grace and have studied enough Latin and German to be annoying. (But alas, no Greek.)

I do not suffer fools gladly, but try to be polite about it.

I'll stop now.

::

 

[darkmaas]

Ok, Monsieur darkmaas, my dear soul, tell me please about your poetic influences and if they've changed over the years since you found Lit.

A little voice in my head keeps telling me that influences shouldn't matter, just let the poems speak for themselves. But okay, if you insist:

I had a traditional poetic upbringing. A. A. Milne, Mother Goose etc. School was the classic "Canon"; lots of Shakespeare and the Romantics, some memorization and attempts to teach criticism by teachers who didn't really care much about it. Nobody was ticking off the box labeled POET on the "What I want to be when I grow up" questionnaire.

My father was particularly fond of Robert Service, probably because we lived up north, so the extended rhyming narrative wasn't an alien art form.

Leonard Cohen introduced a generation of Canadians (including me) to poetry by real live breathing people. There are echos of his approach to writing in mine. It was an introduction only though. I certainly wasn't writing poetry. I was writing though. (I'm a prolific letter writer (now email) and an intermittent diarist.)

Fast forward to the new millennium and i arrive at Lit. The reasons are strange (another thread) but I liked the regular crowd for the most part and it was the beginning of what we now call "social media" so everything was new and exciting. I originally wrote short stories but treated the exercise as an experiment in writing erotica rather than masturbatory literature, to the chagrin of more than a few readers. It was a short jump to the Poet's Corner. I learned a lot in a hurry. I was introduced to a wide range of poets and poetry. The banter was often witty and lewd, but there was quality poetry and criticism.

The poems themselves can tell the rest of the story. Each poem was an experiment of sorts and if read chronologically, will show (I hope) how much I've learned (and how far I still have to go <moment of uncharacteristic modesty>).

::

 

[darkmaas]

Distillation

I'm also interested in your thoughts on distillation (that should bring The Fool into the thread!). In one poem you talk about distilling love from ardor. That is another theme you've explored, no? And then you mention distilling the poem to yield a purer, stronger product. So I'm guessing you think about this idea of distilling a lot. Perhaps that is somehow related to your profession or the fact that you were writing your responses post-prandially lol, but I now more clearly see a streak of the alchemist in you.

Here's how I write a poem. It's not necessarily a good or efficient technique, but it's mine and I like it.

The poem is usually triggered by a verbal riff (Cohen) or a mushy concept or something from my poetry recycle file or more recently five words from the last poster... whatever. I start by just writing. After a while stuff starts to emerge and I edit towards it. The edit part is not really separate though, I'm still writing fresh as well. After a while I usually stop and step back a bit. Then the result is either sent to recycle or honed mercilessly. The final result is often half the word count.

Why the honing/distillation? First, I treat poetry as a condensed form. You are communicating with a reader and you owe it to that reader something significant and in a sense separated from the chaff. Secondly in my case, the first reader is me and I'm trying to figure something out from what is random (if not subliminal) detritus that bubbles around my mind. The distillation is important because ... well it clears the idea/theme/flash of brilliance of the fog of lazy acceptance of existing preconceptions.

One obvious issue is how far to distill? Senna Jawa takes it much further than I'm comfortable with. You reach a point where you've created a poetic puzzle because you've stripped out the points of reference that the reader can grab onto. It's in the end a judgement call.

(One of the consequences of writing this way is that it is virtually impossible to write to a poetic form. This cuts both ways. I waste little time on things like scansion and academic meter. Adept use of form however is one of the "craftsmanship" markers of the art and I envy poets who are masters of their craft.)

Is this distillation process related to my profession? Not really. Distillation is a useful scientific metaphor though. When I was just starting out, I did a fair bit of technical writing. Good technical writing demands clarity of expression and a low word count so maybe there is some relationship.

I may come back to this or better still reply, rebut or take us on a tangent...

::

 

[Angeline]

Here's how I write a poem. It's not necessarily a good or efficient technique, but it's mine and I like it.

The poem is usually triggered by a verbal riff (Cohen) or a mushy concept or something from my poetry recycle file or more recently five words from the last poster... whatever. I start by just writing. After a while stuff starts to emerge and I edit towards it. The edit part is not really separate though, I'm still writing fresh as well. After a while I usually stop and step back a bit. Then the result is either sent to recycle or honed mercilessly. The final result is often half the word count.

Why the honing/distillation? First, I treat poetry as a condensed form. You are communicating with a reader and you owe it to that reader something significant and in a sense separated from the chaff. Secondly in my case, the first reader is me and I'm trying to figure something out from what is random (if not subliminal) detritus that bubbles around my mind. The distillation is important because ... well it clears the idea/theme/flash of brilliance of the fog of lazy acceptance of existing preconceptions.

One obvious issue is how far to distill? Senna Jawa takes it much further than I'm comfortable with. You reach a point where you've created a poetic puzzle because you've stripped out the points of reference that the reader can grab onto. It's in the end a judgement call.

(One of the consequences of writing this way is that it is virtually impossible to write to a poetic form. This cuts both ways. I waste little time on things like scansion and academic meter. Adept use of form however is one of the "craftsmanship" markers of the art and I envy poets who are masters of their craft.)

Is this distillation process related to my profession? Not really. Distillation is a useful scientific metaphor though. When I was just starting out, I did a fair bit of technical writing. Good technical writing demands clarity of expression and a low word count so maybe there is some relationship.

I may come back to this or better still reply, rebut or take us on a tangent...

::

Very interesting responses, D, and I thank you for taking the time to explore in your answers. Distillation is part of my editing process, too, and like you I tend to start doing it even as I'm creating the first draft. But I too have questions how how much taking away is too much. For some, like Senna for example, the answer is as much as you can because if you can take away and still have your basic meaning (or theme) intact, you probably should. (And I probably should not try to put words in SJ's mouth but I think what I'm recalling from some of my convos with him is, as they say, close enough for jazz.) I'm not sure I agree with it though and it is a subject--revolving around editing poems--that continues to confound me.

Rebuts, tangents, it's all good.

 

[darkmaas]

I got half way through dealing with M. Proust and Firefox crashed taking some of the finest prose I've ever typed into the ether.

He's jinxed.

I am headed into an internet free zone for 24 hours but fear not ... Proust shall have his due ... eventually.

d.

::

 

[Angeline]

I got half way through dealing with M. Proust and Firefox crashed taking some of the finest prose I've ever typed into the ether.

He's jinxed.

I am headed into an internet free zone for 24 hours but fear not ... Proust shall have his due ... eventually.

d.

::

So sorry to hear. Here, perhaps these will help.

 

[darkmaas]

So pleased to meet you M. Proust.


My World Famous Questionaire

• If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Where I am; a small Canadian city equidistant between Canada's two largest cities with a large university and modest aspirations.

• What is the best gift you’ve received?

I can't think of anything that doesn't sound lame or cliche. I suppose my daughter, but people aren't really gifts are they?

• Which hobby would you pursue if you had more time?

I've had an interest in typography and book design since I was eight. Two years ago I nearly bought a small press and retired to "Fine Printing" but then took on one last big project. This poem would have been the "mission statement".

• If you could have any super power what would it be?

Hypersonic flight and the ability to cope with the rigors of the void. There's an apt quote from someone that applies, "You promised us Mars within our lifetimes but only gave us Facebook." I'm bitter.

• What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?

I'm always in trouble for excess spontaneity.

• What was your most epic road trip?

1984 from Penang to Singapore by train, bus and a last sprint from Malacca to Singapore by taxi.

• What food brings back childhood memories?

Pot Roast

• Which book most influenced your life?

So many books ...

When I was 10, I read "Something Wicked This Way Comes." by Bradbury. It's a strangish book but for a 10yo It was boggling. Very poetic and dripping with ambiguous sexuality that I of course hadn't a clue about. I realized that you could do things with words that exceeded merely recounting events.

When I was in first year, I read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" which is not part of the Canon of great literature but it started me thinking about quality, craftsmanship and Philosophy in general.

I have a soft spot for Hesse's "Glass Bead Game / Magister Ludi."

• What is the most valuable piece of advise you ever received?

"Life is shorter than you think"

• If you could go back and relive one day in your life. Which one
would it be and why?

Too painful

• What advice would you give your ten year old self today?

"Well kiddo. You proved them wrong and survived your first decade. Why not go for another and see what all the fuss is about with girls."

• What do you most admire in a man?

Wit and intelligence

• What do you most admire in a woman?

Wit and intelligence

• What word or phrase do you most over-use?

"Alas"

• Who are your favourite writers?

Herman Hesse and Paul Theroux take up a lot of shelf space. Ask me tomorrow and I'll give you different one's. I'm omniverous.

• Which artists do you most admire?

I studied Art History which should mean I have a modicum of "Art Appreciation", but I'm odd in that I am less moved by Image than Word.

::

 

[Desejo]

There is quite a bit of discussion here in the Forum (on the forum?) about the relationship of poetry to music. Is music important in your poems? Do you listen to music while you write?

 

[erectus123]

enjoyed the discussion

 

[darkmaas]

There is quite a bit of discussion here in the Forum (on the forum?) about the relationship of poetry to music. Is music important in your poems? Do you listen to music while you write?

Hard to say. In my poems, there aren't a lot of musical references, but there's usually "background" music running through my head. Sometimes there is actual music playing during the writing, but it's random. You get into a zone when things are going well lining up the words in their little rows. I couldn't tell you what was playing (if anything) for a given poem.

Having said that, I think of music as a kind of pre-literate poetry. Rhythm and a melody line, a sense of mood and maybe even drama. Like verbal "code" it (music) stimulates emotions, moves us or bores us. It just works on a more primitive part of our brain. (I there a neurologist lurking in the house?)

Am I making sense?

::

 

[darkmaas]

enjoyed the discussion

Thank you. More to come hopefully.

 

[Desejo]

I think of music as a kind of pre-literate poetry. Rhythm and a melody line, a sense of mood and maybe even drama. Like verbal "code" it (music) stimulates emotions, moves us or bores us. It just works on a more primitive part of our brain. (I there a neurologist lurking in the house?)

Am I making sense?

::

That's very interesting. I started to watch a documentary last night on Pina Bausch last night, and it raises similar questions. I think the idea of preliterate, or maybe even POST literate (what cannot be said) expression applies. This is the trailer, but it doesn't do the film justice: Pina by Wim Wenders. Whatever it is, it's astonishing.

 

[butters]

Having said that, I think of music as a kind of pre-literate poetry. Rhythm and a melody line, a sense of mood and maybe even drama. Like verbal "code" it (music) stimulates emotions, moves us or bores us. It just works on a more primitive part of our brain. (Is there a neurologist lurking in the house?)

Am I making sense?

::

absolutely. and the musicality behind the words of a poem works the same way - to my brain's way of thinking, anyway

 

[bogusagain]

So you live in Kingston Ontario? I've actually passed through there, around ten years ago.

Is this where you poems are set? Not necessarily literally but in your imagination? And how much of these erotic encounters based on experience and how much is projection and fiction. Projection on people you've observed and you've entered their heads.

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

Kingston is a wonderfully diverse place - a venerable university, large prison, a lake and all its varied life both recreational and industrial. Not to mention history. It is green for the most part with big, shady trees. As d'maas said, not too large and not too small. Great 2nd hand book stores - unless Chapters and Amazon killed them, and a hop skip jump to US border, if that's your thing. If I wasn't dug in here I'd choose there.

We touched on music but not the kind that gets your juices going, jazz? Classical? Pop? Or......?