Some of my favorite poems are "confessional" poems written in the voices of aliens ("Southbound on the Freeway" by May Swenson" and "Report from the Surface" by Anthony McCann), sheep ("Snow Line" by John Berryman) or a yak ("The Only Yak in Batesville, Virginia" by Oni Buchanan).
Matthea HarveyI'm interested in concrete poems - anything that complicates the line between the written and the visual.
Matthea HarveyI think of poetry as a very inclusive term. Still, it's interesting that people want to make the distinction. I love the magazine Double Room for that reason (contributors have to write about their ideas on the prose poem/flash fiction).
Matthea HarveyUsually form seems to find me in the process of writing a poem, though I have nothing against starting out with the form.
Matthea HarveyIt's really thrilling to work with an illustrator - your vision expands with the addition of someone else's artwork/artistic vision.
Matthea HarveyIf I begin a poem, "I am a donkey," reason kicks in and says, "She is taking on the persona of a donkey." But if I write, "I have taken so many drugs I can't see my feet," the tendency is to take that as a confession on the part of the poet. Maybe that doesn't matter. I'd almost prefer for it to be the other way round.
Matthea Harvey