November 16, 2024 • 43 mins
Check out Amanda's conversation with Miguel Martin Perez!
Miguel Martin Perez (he/they) is a queer Afro-Dominican poet raised in Harlem and the South Bronx. He is a Cave Canem Fellow, a 2022 Langston Hughes Fellow at the Palm Beach Poetry Festival, and an alum of the Tin House Winter Workshop. His work has received the Leslie McGrath Poetry Prize in 2023, the Pacific Spirit Poetry Prize in 2021, and was a finalist for the 2022 Mississippi Review Poetry Prize. His poems appear or are forthcoming in Narrative, Colorado Review, Raleigh Review, Acentos Review, and Santa Fe Writers Project Quarterly among others. He holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of California – Riverside and currently resides in the Bronx.
Miguel's Links:@mmppoetry.
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Did you know The Poet Speaks is also Amanda's touring global workshop? She teaches people all about how to make, create and the history of Spoken Word and Indigenous oral traditions! To make a booking for The Poet Speaks Workshop with your organization, apply for mentorships with Amanda, book interviews, as well as writing consultations, please use this link: https://www.amandaeke.com/services
Music by: Buzu Buzu
https://www.instagram.com/bbuzu/
Miguel Martin Perez (he/they) is a queer Afro-Dominican poet raised in Harlem and the South Bronx. He is a Cave Canem Fellow, a 2022 Langston Hughes Fellow at the Palm Beach Poetry Festival, and an alum of the Tin House Winter Workshop. His work has received the Leslie McGrath Poetry Prize in 2023, the Pacific Spirit Poetry Prize in 2021, and was a finalist for the 2022 Mississippi Review Poetry Prize. His poems appear or are forthcoming in Narrative, Colorado Review, Raleigh Review, Acentos Review, and Santa Fe Writers Project Quarterly among others. He holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of California – Riverside and currently resides in the Bronx.
Miguel's Links:@mmppoetry.
CHECK OUT AMANDA'S NEW TV SHOW: The Poet Speaks with Amanda Eke! Now airing on the Archaeology Channel and Roku!
SUBSCRIBE AND STREAM HERE:
https://heritagetac.org/programs/the-poet-speaks-with-amanda-eke-i28z2vn9bsc?category_id=65263
Be sure to check out The Poet Speaks Podcast on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thepoetspeakspodcast/
And listen to,The Poet Speaks Podcast, on the go on ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS WORLDWIDE!
Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1cM1rdF...
Did you know The Poet Speaks is also Amanda's touring global workshop? She teaches people all about how to make, create and the history of Spoken Word and Indigenous oral traditions! To make a booking for The Poet Speaks Workshop with your organization, apply for mentorships with Amanda, book interviews, as well as writing consultations, please use this link: https://www.amandaeke.com/services
Music by: Buzu Buzu
https://www.instagram.com/bbuzu/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hello everyone, it's your host, Amanda Eka, and I have
some amazing news. Starting this fall, the post Speaks is
coming to your TV screens. Yes, that's right. After eight
amazing seasons as a podcast, The poet Speaks with Amanda
Eka is now a TV show airing are the Archaeology
Channel's new streaming service, Heritage. Everyone, get ready for a
(00:26):
visual feast, spoken, more performances, and deep dives into the
minds of poets from all over the world. Now something
extraordinary is coming and you won't want to miss a
single moment. Stay tuned. Hello everyone, and welcome back to
the poet Speaks Podcast. Now, our next guest is a
queer Afro Dominican poet raised in Harlem and the South Bronx,
(00:46):
a twenty twenty two Langston Hughes Fellow at the Palm
Beach Poetry Festival and an alum of the Tin House
Winter Workshop. This work has received the Leslie McGrath Poetry
Prize in twenty twenty three, the Pacific Spirit Poetry Prize
in two. When you want the finalist for the twenty
twenty two Mississippi Review Poetry Prize. Everyone, Welcome to the
poll Speaks Podcast. Miguel Martin Perez, Miguel, how are you.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I'm good, Thank you for having me absolutely.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
How does it feel when you hear all your accomplishments
just like out loud like that you blush.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Little, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I have mixed feelings. You know,
I'm still fledgling, you know, like I'm still I feel
like I'm at the beginning of my career. So it's
it's almost surreal to think that I've done some things already,
(01:38):
but I don't know, it's I don't know, it's kind
of embarrassing almost, like to just hear it all spelled out.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Yeah, yeah, the whole thing. You feel like you're fledgling.
Even with your success, you still feel like you're fledgling
at the beginning of a career. That's an interesting kind
of place to be when you've accomplished a lot, but
you still feel like you're fledgling.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Yeah know, for sure. I mean I What's nice is
that over the course of like the years that I've
been focused on on poetry, I've met a lot of people,
like a lot of people like I've met, you know,
peers that are like around the same stage that I'm at,
and professors who've you know, had four or five, six,
seven books under their belt. I've met some legends that
(02:22):
are just like you know, the best of the best,
and so you know, sometimes you can't help but compare.
But at the same time, it's like, you know, this
is the beginning. I reserve the right to be a
little bit humble, and you know, hold on to hope
that you know, I have potential, I have room to grow.
(02:42):
I can accomplish bigger things later.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Absolutely absolutely respect. Respect. Now tell us a little bit
about where are you at. Where are you located in
the world right now? I think a little bit from
your accent, but you tell us where you're in the
world right now.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
I just moved back from California, like a couple of
months ago. I'm back home in the Bronx, you know,
staying with family, catching up with friends. Yeah, I'm back
in my hometown, my hometown. This is where where I
grew up, this is where I was raised. And you know,
the MFA pulled me out to California for a couple
of years and I stayed three more after that. So
(03:21):
I had a nice little stint at West.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Yeah, from West Coast to East coast tell us a bit.
Were you born and born and raised bred in the Bronx?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Correct, born in Inwood like I was born at the
Allen Pavilion Hospital, like the top of Manhattan until age six.
I grew up in Harlem on like one hundred and
fortieth in Amsterdam. And then around age six, you know,
once my mom was a single mom, we moved out
(03:50):
to the South Bronx. So I've lived here since I
was six years old in the year two thousand.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Wow. Wow, tell us what was that like growing up?
So that would be you grew up in the nineties,
would that be correct, somewhere around there early two thousands.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
I'm born ninety four exactly.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
What was that kind of like growing up in that
area in the Bronx, that New York City sense of mind.
I think a lot of people that are not born
and raised there. We all have our different kind of
ideas of what being a kid in New York City is.
Like there's a show I used to watch called Hey Arnold.
Oh yeah, in my mind, they was the schools would
be like PS. Eighteen. It never says it in the show,
(04:29):
but I believe that it grew up around New York City,
right tell us what was it like being a kid
growing up in a city like that.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Oh, there's so much to say. I you learn a
lot of things quickly. You know, once you're in like
middle school, you're already expected to take the trains and
the buses on your own. Yeah, you know. You you
learn how to navigate streets. Do you learn what the
(04:59):
da are very early? You know, to stay away from
from strangers, you know, you know, you learn to keep
your distance, don't make eye contact. That there's a lot
that is spoken and unspoken. You learn very quickly to
be to be careful. It's a big place and it's
easy to get lost. But you know, at the same time,
(05:22):
you know, it's such a it's such a big city
that there are so many people. You meet all kinds
of people, no matter what school you go to, what
like extracurriculars you do. You know, you are exposed to
diversity from the jump. So I think that's kind of
like the root of this idea that New Yorkers like
(05:46):
have seen it all or like nothing phases them. Like
I've seen a lot of clips online of like New
Yorkers not reacting or looking at something you know otherwise
extraordinary happening on the subway. So yeah, it's it's it's great.
It's great. You learn a whole lot, You get exposed
to a lot, and over time you get used to
(06:08):
a lot, maybe maybe get a little bit jaded, But
you know, I don't regret.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
It, Yeah, for sure, for sure now, so I do
want to get to later this kind of point of
that perspective to the West Coast especially. I know you
went to UC Riverside, and I'm very well familiar with
that school. But we'll get to that a little bit later.
When did uh, when did you discover poetry? Was it
during your childhood in the city, in the Bronx, like
(06:35):
you said that New York, you learn a lot at
such a small young age. Did you discover writing at
that point when you were learning so much at such
a young age, or did poetry find you later in
your career in your life.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I poetry like really got me when I was in
high school. You know. The The unfortunate thing about the
educational system, you know then when I was coming up
through the ranks and still to this day, is that
poetry is kind of a mini section. Like that's probably
(07:08):
a day or two in a given like English course.
So you know, there were moments and I still remember
these moments, you know, maybe like second grade, fifth grade,
seventh grade, where there was a poetry section and I
was really excited just to like have something creative to
do in class, and you know, reading something that was
(07:30):
different from all of the short stories, different from the
you know, the plays that we read, et cetera. But
it wasn't until high school, Like it wasn't until I
was a freshman in high school where I started taking
up journaling seriously. And basically what happened is that over time,
(07:51):
I was just like journaling every single day, just like
writing everything that I did throughout the day, and day
after day got more detailed. I started describing that just
what I did that day, but I was talking about
like the facial expressions in my friend's face when they
told me this, and that I started describing what passers
(08:13):
by were wearing. Like I was becoming really detailed, like
borderline obsessive with my journal entries. I wanted it to
be as descriptive as possible, and then that became a
problem because it caused insomnia. Like I was recounting my
day into the night and so poetry just kind of
happened from there. I found shortcuts, I found ways of
(08:40):
describing emotions in detail that didn't need all that detail.
I took it upon myself to learn new words so
that I didn't have to like use a sentence to
describe something. I could just use that one word. And
so you know, my ballooned, and then poetry allowed it
(09:03):
to become more condensed, and I just stuck to it
from there. I never got bored. I just kept writing
poems about whatever I felt like, wow, wow.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
You know, in the journey of kind of I one
could say, I guess becoming a poet is a lot
of you know, you really do describe yourself as a
documentor of just life around you. Like you even saying
that you were just going into such detail, almost like
a summer like neuroticism of just details of people's lives
(09:36):
that caused you insomnia. What do you think where did
that come from? What do you think that really kind
of was inside of you that just wanted to write
a detailed script and narration of everything your eyeballs were seeing,
even as a like as.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
A kid, if you're good, you're good. I yeah, I
it was around that time that I that I realized
that I was suffering from depression. I started going to therapy.
You know, things were changing around that time, and I
(10:11):
became a little bit more quiet, more reserved with people
with peers, at school, with family, and I don't know,
at least with me. I'm not going to be prescriptive,
but like you stopped talking for a good month and
you start seeing a lot of things going on, you
start to notice. I became very observant around that time,
(10:34):
but I still needed something to say. I didn't trust
myself to speak out verbally, but I think there's I
think we all have an inherent need to be seen
be heard. So while my mouth didn't want to talk,
I let my pen do the talking. And you know,
it's you're a teenager, You're in high school. There's a
(10:57):
lot of changes going on. Things are becoming very very different,
and yeah, you know a lot of new things on
the horizon you have to worry about. You know, you're
starting to really think about careers in college. Yeah, I
wanted to document that. I wanted to catch everything and
process it. Poetry allowed me to really take these things
(11:20):
in think about my experiences more thoroughly and come to
some conclusions about what kind of person am I? Now?
What kind of person do I want to be? What
is this world that I mean? Why does society work
this way? Yeah? I needed it for my well being.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Absolutely absolutely, Tell me and thank you for sharing that.
That takes a lot, definitely to share that perspective and
that experience, So we really do appreciate you sharing that
with us. Tell me a little bit about how kind
of moving gears a little bit. How does that area
of South Bronx, How as a poet from Harlem, South Bronx,
(12:04):
what does that mean to your writing? I know, like,
as we talked about before before we start the show,
the New York City is like it's unlike I think
any other place in the world. I think the Bronx, right, Harlem,
there's such staples, but they're so unique in terms of
there it's just fertile ground. For so much has happened,
(12:25):
so much history, So many feet have walked there on
that ground, so much history, right, so much movement, action, pain, joy, beauty. Right,
so much has happened on those in just that area. Right.
How do you feel that the area, your environment of Harlem,
South Bronx. Has that really influenced and shaped who you
(12:46):
are as a writer or is that kind of just
another chapter in the whole you know sphere of who
Miguel is just one of the many layers of who
you are? Or has that really shaped who you are
as a writer?
Speaker 2 (12:58):
You know, the city is fused to me, Like you know,
you if you're born and raised here, this is basically
who you are. It doesn't matter where I've gone, those
instincts are always there. But yeah, like you know, thinking
about my my neighborhoods, my stomping grounds, you know, historically
(13:20):
speaking as you say, like Harlem Renaissance, you know what
Langston Hughes crossed the same streets I did? You know,
Boogie down Bronx. This is the birthplace of hip hop's
It's it's a story place. It's a very storied place,
and you don't really like recognize that until later and
you like dive deep into the history of your place.
(13:42):
You know, as a kid, I it was just the place.
It was just where I am, the only place I know.
But yeah, it's it's It's always in my poetry, Like
even when I'm gone, I'm writing about New York well,
and it's kind of it's inseparable because it's like, you know,
a lot of my poems try to process things that
(14:04):
happen when I was young. Place is tied to those memories.
I feel like I can't have those memories without New York.
You know, I will always place my poems somewhere, those feelings,
those like occurrences, that childhood that was in the backdrop
of concrete and asphalt and buildings, skyscrapers, cars are zipping by,
(14:32):
you know, the horns are blaring, crowds of people. It's inseparable.
It's always always there. Even when I'm writing about California,
I feel like New York is there.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Wow, wow, wow, No, that's amazing. It's and I think
I'm wondering you. I'm not a native New Yorker, but
you are. You tell me if I'm Wronger right, that
is something just so unique. Well, maybe not unique. I'm
sure if we have people from the South, they would
say maybe the South I was as a special place
in their heart. But yeah, New York is a very
(15:03):
very the city, New York City, very very special place. Now.
That's that's amazing that you said you're bonded you're fused
to it, and that's absolutely amazing.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
For better for worse, you know, like it's it's a
famous place, well renowned. People across the world want to
come here. But you know, gentrification is always happening. Our
mayors are never good. You know, there's a constant fear
of you know, violence and you know, a fear of
(15:36):
a potential uptick and crime basically all the time, whether
it's happening or not. You know, it's for better or
for worse for sure, bit or sweet that.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Are sweet for better for worse. Now, that's a good
good way to put it. Now, I do want to
I want to now kind of go shift as we
kind of move forward down what has been your career
so far before we get to being a twenty twenty
two length and the us Fellow, Coved kunt of Fellow,
all these phenomenal works that you've done in accolades, I
want to talk about the time you spent at UC
(16:08):
Riverside and receiving your MSA and creative writing. I think
it's so pertinent and it intrigues me being as someone
that's lived on both West and East Coast. What I mean,
what was it like having the experience going to UC Riverside.
I went to actually you see Davis myself, I'm very
familiar with like the UC system. I'm just wondering, how
(16:30):
does how does how does anyone even from South Bronx Harlem?
How do you hear about a place like U see Riverside? Right?
How do you hear about? You know what made you
kind of traverse all the way to the other side
of the country to really pursue and continue your education
with writing? And what? What? What is the difference you
see West versus East Coast in terms of just the
(16:53):
environment as a poet? You know what? Was just somethings
you you took note of.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Got my bachelor's degree in psychology, and initially I wanted
to be a therapist, like I wanted to specialize in
like helping kids and teens overcome like neurodivergence. I wanted
to be support for people that dealt with things that
I dealt with when I was younger. But at some
(17:22):
point it must have been like early senior year, I
realized that this is not necessarily for me, and so
I was looking for something to commit to career wise
that I would not get bored with that I know that,
like my interests will never waiver and the only thing
that I could come up with is poetry. So once
(17:44):
I graduated, I applied to MFA programs, including uc Riverside,
and I was lucky to get a get an admission
for UCR and I, you know, I I was excited.
I was always interested in moving west. I was always
interested in living outside of the state. And you know,
(18:07):
at that point in my life, this is like twenty eighteen,
the stress of the city was getting to me. I
was starting to get tired of like walking in crowds.
I was craving something slower paced, something that would keep
my nerves low. So I was like, yeah, let's do it.
Let's go to calling so that you know that that's
what initially brought me out there, and you know it,
(18:32):
it did give me a sense of calm. It gave
me what I needed at the time. You know, nice weather,
sun all the time, you get that vitamin D. You know,
people are generally chiller, less hustle and bustle, a little
slower paced. You know, you got you got the beach
near by, like a nice clean beach nearby to go to.
(18:57):
You know, the only issue at the time is you
grow up in New York. It don't need a license,
you don't need to drive. So that became a problem
pretty quickly. I actually just got my license two years ago.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Okay, wow, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
First time. So yeah, it's it's it's nice, it's it's
low paced. But you know, I think within three years
I realized, Okay, I'm getting a little bored.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Now.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
I need more I need more action, I need more activity.
There are no delis on the corners. Uh, like, I
need somewhere to go to for food at one in
the morning, and nothing's open except for McDonald's in California.
For some reason, I was missing the activity. So you
know that this was a good point in my life
to return. And yeah, it's I did. I feel like
(19:57):
this is always gonna be the case. I feel like
within a few years of being here in New York,
I'm gonna be like, oh I missed the slow pace
of Cali, and then maybe I'll go back. And then
within three years I'll be like, I'm bored here. I'm
going to go back to New York. You know, you
miss what you don't have.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Yeah, no, that's that's that's interesting. That is so fascinating. Man, man,
you needed a chop cheese at one am. So yeah,
I have to go back to the city. Oh my goodness,
gracious right now. That that's really something to hear, though,
I do. I hear a lot of that, that expression
from a lot of people. People they love the slow
(20:35):
pace of maybe, let's say, in this case California, especially
a place like Riverside. It's so nice there. I mean,
it's so relaxed, it's so it's literally the A one
eighty of New York City. I mean, you wouldn't even
be able to compare the two even on a similar day.
I mean, it's really complete opposites of each other. So
(20:57):
it's kind of interesting to hear you say you eventually
wanted to go back to the hustle and bustle and
rancor that is the city. I'm curious too, then your
time there, just even as a writer, how did you
see your writing change or did it change when you
lived in California? You know, such a different paced, slower
(21:18):
paced environment. Did you see a difference in your poetry?
You're thinking the schematic of the design of how you
wrote what you wrote about.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
For sure, for sure, and you know to the extent
that just being there affected my work. You know, like
I said before, a place is important to me. I
need a backdrop for what I'm writing about.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
So I remember walking around the campus of UCR like
for the first two three weeks. You should have seen me.
I was just like whoa, whoa, because it's just like
succulence everywhere, you know, just like introducing yourself, like familiarize
yourself with the new trees, the new plants. All of
(22:04):
a sudden, instead of you know, the rats and the roaches,
it's geckos or some other lizards just like skittering about
on your walk. The sunrises and the sunsets were different. Yeah, wow,
like like brighter. They say that it's air pollution, but
it's beautiful. So yeah, it just changed. It changed the
(22:29):
imagery of my work. There was there was less about
crowds of people and like losing yourself amongst them and
wanting connection, and it was more like it was almost
pastoral or pastoral leaning. That shift from you know, everything
around me as a building in a crowd to everything
(22:52):
around me are these beautiful plants and the warmth and
the quiet.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
So yeah, yeah, it's it's really interesting sometimes to like
look at two poems of mind where one is like
very clearly New York and one is very clearly like
deserted California, Southern California. Yes, yeah, dramatic difference, like even
(23:21):
in tone.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Yeah wow wow. Now that to even kind of I think,
to even notice that change in yourself, I think already
is a bit It's completely metaphorical, but also very shows
the level of self care that you have for yourself,
because most people probably wouldn't be able to address the
(23:43):
fact that they were going through that type of change.
Like you said, even seeing like the suck of us,
I mean just even lizards on the wall. Those those
are things people don't even notice when they go to
a different place. You know. The fact that you're able
to kind of recognize and do that kind of internal
self reflection that even you know, just the way how
you were seeing things, you're writing something, even those my
(24:04):
new details was really all changing because of your environment.
That's really very amazing to hear. So tell me a
little bit about your work, Kaved Kandum a fellow, that's
some huge, huge, huge You're a huge deal, Miguel, that's
a big, big deal. Tell me a little bit about
your time there as a fellow. You know we've here.
(24:26):
I hear stories all the time people that I know
they've you know, done that fellowship. And you know, obviously
you have some very very elite company from a lot
of amazing folks that have tooken that that pledge before you.
So tell us a little bit about your time as
a fellow there.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Yeah, I mean I yeah, I got the news that
I got accepted for my first retreat last year.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
And I I I was actually flabbergasted because I graduated
from the MFA in twenty twenty and I had a
peer there who was a year ahead of me. Her
name is Jasmine Elizabeth Smith, fantastic, brilliant poet.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
Yeah, and you.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Know we were the only two black poets there.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
And you know, before she graduated, she was telling me
over and over reply a plata Cave, Please applat to Cove.
You have to apply to Cove all the time, but
tell me to do so. She graduates, I start my
second year of the MFA, and you know, the year
(25:45):
becomes twenty twenty and then suddenly it's a pandemic, so
that Cove was canceled. I believe the cove after that
was also canceled, and so in twenty twenty two they
had to bring bring in the people that were accepted
initial for twenty twenty, so they were not accepting applications
for that year. So I applied for the twenty twenty
(26:07):
three conference, and that was my first time applying, and
I was just astounded that I got in. But I
think I was more shocked when I got there, how
amazing it was, like genuinely how amazing, Like it filled
my heart, like, you know, for for all the good
(26:32):
that the MFA did for me, I learned a lot.
I met, you know, peers and friends that I'm going
to hold on to forever my work grew. I think
it's always going to be the case for most people.
I don't think I've heard anyone disagree with this idea.
The MFA is never what you expected today. You imagine
(26:53):
something a little I don't know, idyllic. You imagine some
sort of like artistic heaven the MFA, But it's not
exactly that. Speaking for myself, Covid was exactly that, you know,
like all of those poets were gifted and kind and sweet,
(27:16):
and they hold you tenderly. You know I have social anxiety,
and that dissipated in a day. Wow, I was talking
to everybody, and everybody was talking to me like I
wasn't nervous anymore. I wasn't scared to share my stuff.
I wasn't scared to talk about anything. It was beautiful, beautiful.
(27:37):
Last year, it was, you know, one of the greatest
weeks of my life. I went again this past summer
again one of the greatest weeks of my life.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Wow. Wow, Now those are such heavy but also beautiful words.
I feel like in most of those, in situations like that,
where you're with like the elite of the elite, the
top of your class that you're you know, those are
the top people in your in your sport, right in
your arena, in your craft, in your art. I think
(28:07):
usually people they find themselves with that intense imposter syndrome,
you know, where it's like, dang, everyone I thought I
was talented, I get everyone else is talented. People also
can walk and shoot them at the same time, you
know what I mean. People, You know, people are just
as good or even not even better, right, And it's
so it must have been such a great feeling, Like
(28:28):
you said, it wasn't like it was an environment that
was everyone's gifts were just flowing with each other like
a circle. Right like you said it was you felt full.
I mean that must have been. I mean, yeah, you said,
greatest week of your life. I mean, what do you
think it fostered that type of environment at that kave
(28:49):
kanem as opposed to you know that intense imposter syndrome
people that are so great When people gather together in
those types of environments, it tends to be a little off.
People do feel that anxiety. What made this so different,
you think?
Speaker 2 (29:06):
I mean a number of things I can name, and
I'm sure it's a lot more that I wouldn't even
be able to put my finger on. But I feel
like everyone there is just grateful to be there, and
you know, like there with a sense of humility, not
(29:28):
trying to perform or outperform. We're all there on a mission.
We want our work to get better, and we want company.
We want people to be able to hear us and
accept us. And I think it's just a space where
you know a number of the walls are torn down.
(29:50):
Every covey begins with the opening circle, the night that
everyone arrives and it's all inspiring and terrifying and sad.
Everyone sits in a circle and goes around the room
answering the question why are you here? However you interpret
(30:14):
that question, and people have stories, people have experiences, people
have things that they've dealt with, you know, just a
few years, a few months, a few days prior to
this moment, and they have stories to tell. They have
things that they've dealt with. They've lost people, they've lost jobs,
(30:37):
they've lost time. Yeah, it becomes very honest and very
thorough and very beautiful. Just how vulnerable everyone gets from
the jump. That's the beginning of the week. Everyone just
basically confessing to what they've gone through. And I think
(31:03):
I think that tears down the wall sufficiently for you
to you know, understand, these are not these are not
complete strangers to you anymore. For the rest of the week,
you know what they've been through, or at least a
fraction of what they've been through. Uh, And you can
hold them and they can hold you having shared your
(31:23):
own vulnerability, and that makes sharing the poems easier within
your group or at the readings, or you know, just
hanging out having lunch together to share a poem that
you wrote, It's It's It's a nice time. The vulnerability
allows us to be more open and receptive people and
(31:47):
giving people.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Now. I know we had started off this interview we
had talked about your I had read all of your
amazing accolades, and I remember you had said you're still
fledgling with your success. Tell me where you I mean,
where are you at in this day like now? I
know you use the word fledgling, but where do you
feel like you truly are now? I mean, are you
(32:11):
Are you happy with where you are as as you've
developed as a poet, as a writer, all these you know, again,
distinguished achievements that you've been able to to surmount to
get to or do you do you feel like you're
at a point now where you feel comfortable, where you
feel like, hey, I can, I can. I am a
poet and I know it, I know this, I am
(32:32):
a writer. Or do you still feel like there's aspects
of you where you have not gone to that quote
unquote mountaintop? How much? How much do you feel like
you still are climbing on your journey.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
I feel like I've done a good amount of work
fighting off the impostor syndrome. It's still there, it still
comes up from time to time. I think I was
lucky enough that I was able to shake off the
question of am I really a poet? Back in high school.
I know I've known people in their m phase questioning
whether they're a poet. One of the major parts of
(33:16):
that fight for me personally is, you know, comparing myself
to others, this idea that I wanted a book, two
books published before I turned thirty. I'm about to turn
thirty in a month, a month from today. No book yet,
no manuscript yet. And that required accepting that there's so
(33:42):
much time, that there's just so much time. I've been
working on these poems NonStop, but the manuscript is not ready.
I'm going to give it it's time. I'm going to
keep writing these poems until I feel ready to put
them in the right order and I am confident and
happy with what that manuscript is. I read an interview
(34:06):
with Eduardo corral from a few years back when when
when he released Slow Lightning, and I believe it was
like like he said that it was eight years post
MFA that he worked on that his first collection of poems,
(34:26):
and he was asked about that in the interview when
that was his rationale, like it needed time and I
was willing to give it that time. So you know,
I've I've learned to wrangle with my with my impatience.
It's not a race anymore. It's it's not about me,
you know, getting a book out at the same age
(34:50):
as these other people. It's about me getting my book
out on my time when I think it's ready. And
in the meantime, like I'm still growing my craft, you know,
like I'm still developing this work. It's not like this
time is being wasted. I'm committed to only getting better. So, yeah,
(35:10):
I patience is key. The book will be ready when
it's ready. In the meantime, I'm just gonna keep writing poems.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's such a beautiful thing.
And I also think that's honestly, I think you may
have just unlocked the key because that is so freeing.
I feel for you to just say I'm on the time,
it's gonna come out when it's ready to come out.
I'm not. And like you said, people, I think get
into this moment in this sphere of thinking I need
(35:41):
to do this, I need to do this before this
certain age. I need to hit this mark, I need
to do this.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Do that.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
And again, as cliche as it is, we look at
everyone's highlight real you don't see what people have gone
through to maybe where that person did something in a
short amount of time, but you didn't see what they
had to go through to get they solve window that
they had and this is just when they had finally
their time to jump on an opportunity. And it is
(36:06):
such a freeing thing when you, like you said, wrangling
in patients. Patience really is such a major key of life,
because I remember I said this to a friend the
other day. You know, we can you know, we can
only bend the universe to our will so far. Right
at the end of the day, it's a big, old
(36:27):
universe with a lot of question marks that we have
no control over. You only can really control what's right
in front of you and how you're dealing with things
in your own life, choosing to stay, walk away from
continue to be in different situations. So I think that
must be such a freeing feeling to kind of just say, hey,
(36:47):
I'm on my time. This is when my book comes out,
my first whatever maybe collection all these things, this is
when it's going to come out. How did you kind
of reach that center of peace that I think a
lot of people don't reach. I think it's very hard
to build that mental fortitude of patients, especially in the arts.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
Mm hmm. I I think it's once I really started
noticing that my work was getting better. I think that
was probably one of the biggest I guess drivers towards
me being calmer and patient about the speed of my career,
(37:34):
knowing that I am honing my craft and the signs
are there, you know, like being able to see that
this poem from you know, this year, I can I
can read that, and I can compare it to the
one that I wrote two years ago, and I much
prefer this new one.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
It's proof that you are on a trajectory so long
as you commit to bettering yourself, bettering your craft, making
your voice stronger, expanding any aspect of the way that
you write. If you're committed to that and you see
(38:16):
the progress, you see the growth, you know, those bigger
accomplishments will come. That book will put itself together at
some point, but the time is being spent well. It
also helps having peers. It also helps having friends that
are on the same on the same path that you
are trying to put that book together, trying to put
(38:38):
their second book together, and being able to commiserate, being
able to support each other, that sense of community. There
were periods of time where I didn't have it, and
that lack was very, very painful, and then there were
times where I did have it, and I I have
(39:00):
a lot of it now. That support system is really
really important.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
One thousand percent. Yes, community, community means so much. Thank
you so much, Miguel for sharing. It's been such a
such an amazing conversation thus far. I really appreciate you
opening up your words to us, heart, mind, soul, all
those good things. Miguel. Miguel, we have one last question
(39:27):
for you on the Post Speaks podcast today. Miguel, why
do you need to get your words out?
Speaker 2 (39:37):
I I feel like this is the the most that
I can give. Poetry is the activity that I enjoy
the most. I think that it's it's like that art,
that that making of a thing, putting those words together,
(39:58):
making them right or as close to right as possible.
That's my favorite kind of toiling. That's that's my favorite
way to spend a few hours, to spend a few days,
to spend a few months, and there are stories to
be told. It's not just mine. You know, my story
includes my sister's story, my parents' stories, my grandparents' stories.
(40:25):
I don't know anybody else in my family that told
these stories. I have peers that are telling stories. You know,
of different parts of the city, different neighborhoods or something.
You know, different states, different countries. I think, I think
these stories, the stories of my neighbors, the stories of
like the working class people of color in the Bronx,
(40:49):
they need to be told. They need to be told.
You know, they can people can try to like obscure
certain histories, but like, so long as somebody is telling
these stories, those people will never be gone. There is
an immortalization. So it is a sense of responsibility. If
(41:10):
you're willing to give your words to explain the hardships
that people go through for living where you live, for
being the color that you are, for being queer, you know,
it's all worth it. It's all worth it. It's it's
my biggest drive. I have to I just have to.
Speaker 1 (41:34):
Nice, nice, absolutely, Thank you so much, Miguel, Then thank
you for sharing all of your amazing words everyone. That's
why Miguel needs to use words out all right, and now, Miguel,
tell us what is the rest of twenty twenty four
looking for you? Right now? Obviously we got we're nswering
the last chur of twenty twenty four. So what is
(41:55):
the rest of the year looking like for you? Any events?
And tell us where can folks check out all of
you are amazing and beautiful work. Any websites, social media leaks,
tell the folks out there.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
Yeah for sure. So I this Thursday, I'm actually going
to be at a reading. It's like the Exquisits series.
You can follow them at Exquisits BK on Instagram. Yeah,
it's five queer poets twelve minutes each at the Aberdeen
Community Garden in Brooklyn. It's also going to be streamed.
(42:26):
There's gonna be a zoom so you can follow them
for information there. I'm looking forward to a few poems
that are gonna come out of mine in the Colorado
Review and three other poems in Narrative that they were
named the finalist of or a finalists for their sixteenth
(42:50):
Annual Poetry Contest. So I'm excited for those six poems
to come out later this year. And I'm just going
to keep writing, keep writing, keep it floor in my city.
Finding open mics.
Speaker 1 (43:03):
Yeah absolutely. Where can we find your stuff? Any links? Website,
social media?
Speaker 2 (43:08):
Check out I'm mmp poetry on Instagram.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
All right, everyone check off. All of Miguel's links will
be down below in the detailed box section. No matter
what platform, you listen to this amazing podcast on. Again,
a big thank you, Thank you so much Miguel for
joining us today on the Post Speaks Podcast.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
Thank you so much. I appreciate it absolutely.
Speaker 1 (43:34):
And again everyone go check off Miguel's amazing works. His
links will be down below in the description box by
where you listen to this podcast? Everyone, This is the
Post Speaks Podcast, Like I said, the number one poetry
podcast in the world. Everyone, all right, thank you so much.
Talk to you soon, boye bye
Hello everyone, it's your host, Amanda Eka, and I have
some amazing news. Starting this fall, the post Speaks is
coming to your TV screens. Yes, that's right. After eight
amazing seasons as a podcast, The poet Speaks with Amanda
Eka is now a TV show airing are the Archaeology
Channel's new streaming service, Heritage. Everyone, get ready for a
(00:26):
visual feast, spoken, more performances, and deep dives into the
minds of poets from all over the world. Now something
extraordinary is coming and you won't want to miss a
single moment. Stay tuned. Hello everyone, and welcome back to
the poet Speaks Podcast. Now, our next guest is a
queer Afro Dominican poet raised in Harlem and the South Bronx,
(00:46):
a twenty twenty two Langston Hughes Fellow at the Palm
Beach Poetry Festival and an alum of the Tin House
Winter Workshop. This work has received the Leslie McGrath Poetry
Prize in twenty twenty three, the Pacific Spirit Poetry Prize
in two. When you want the finalist for the twenty
twenty two Mississippi Review Poetry Prize. Everyone, Welcome to the
poll Speaks Podcast. Miguel Martin Perez, Miguel, how are you.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
I'm good, Thank you for having me absolutely.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
How does it feel when you hear all your accomplishments
just like out loud like that you blush.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Little, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I have mixed feelings. You know,
I'm still fledgling, you know, like I'm still I feel
like I'm at the beginning of my career. So it's
it's almost surreal to think that I've done some things already,
(01:38):
but I don't know, it's I don't know, it's kind
of embarrassing almost, like to just hear it all spelled out.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Yeah, yeah, the whole thing. You feel like you're fledgling.
Even with your success, you still feel like you're fledgling
at the beginning of a career. That's an interesting kind
of place to be when you've accomplished a lot, but
you still feel like you're fledgling.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Yeah know, for sure. I mean I What's nice is
that over the course of like the years that I've
been focused on on poetry, I've met a lot of people,
like a lot of people like I've met, you know,
peers that are like around the same stage that I'm at,
and professors who've you know, had four or five, six,
seven books under their belt. I've met some legends that
(02:22):
are just like you know, the best of the best,
and so you know, sometimes you can't help but compare.
But at the same time, it's like, you know, this
is the beginning. I reserve the right to be a
little bit humble, and you know, hold on to hope
that you know, I have potential, I have room to grow.
(02:42):
I can accomplish bigger things later.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Absolutely absolutely respect. Respect. Now tell us a little bit
about where are you at. Where are you located in
the world right now? I think a little bit from
your accent, but you tell us where you're in the
world right now.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
I just moved back from California, like a couple of
months ago. I'm back home in the Bronx, you know,
staying with family, catching up with friends. Yeah, I'm back
in my hometown, my hometown. This is where where I
grew up, this is where I was raised. And you know,
the MFA pulled me out to California for a couple
of years and I stayed three more after that. So
(03:21):
I had a nice little stint at West.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Yeah, from West Coast to East coast tell us a bit.
Were you born and born and raised bred in the Bronx?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Correct, born in Inwood like I was born at the
Allen Pavilion Hospital, like the top of Manhattan until age six.
I grew up in Harlem on like one hundred and
fortieth in Amsterdam. And then around age six, you know,
once my mom was a single mom, we moved out
(03:50):
to the South Bronx. So I've lived here since I
was six years old in the year two thousand.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Wow. Wow, tell us what was that like growing up?
So that would be you grew up in the nineties,
would that be correct, somewhere around there early two thousands.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
I'm born ninety four exactly.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
What was that kind of like growing up in that
area in the Bronx, that New York City sense of mind.
I think a lot of people that are not born
and raised there. We all have our different kind of
ideas of what being a kid in New York City is.
Like there's a show I used to watch called Hey Arnold.
Oh yeah, in my mind, they was the schools would
be like PS. Eighteen. It never says it in the show,
(04:29):
but I believe that it grew up around New York City,
right tell us what was it like being a kid
growing up in a city like that.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Oh, there's so much to say. I you learn a
lot of things quickly. You know, once you're in like
middle school, you're already expected to take the trains and
the buses on your own. Yeah, you know. You you
learn how to navigate streets. Do you learn what the
(04:59):
da are very early? You know, to stay away from
from strangers, you know, you know, you learn to keep
your distance, don't make eye contact. That there's a lot
that is spoken and unspoken. You learn very quickly to
be to be careful. It's a big place and it's
easy to get lost. But you know, at the same time,
(05:22):
you know, it's such a it's such a big city
that there are so many people. You meet all kinds
of people, no matter what school you go to, what
like extracurriculars you do. You know, you are exposed to
diversity from the jump. So I think that's kind of
like the root of this idea that New Yorkers like
(05:46):
have seen it all or like nothing phases them. Like
I've seen a lot of clips online of like New
Yorkers not reacting or looking at something you know otherwise
extraordinary happening on the subway. So yeah, it's it's it's great.
It's great. You learn a whole lot, You get exposed
to a lot, and over time you get used to
(06:08):
a lot, maybe maybe get a little bit jaded, But
you know, I don't regret.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
It, Yeah, for sure, for sure now, so I do
want to get to later this kind of point of
that perspective to the West Coast especially. I know you
went to UC Riverside, and I'm very well familiar with
that school. But we'll get to that a little bit later.
When did uh, when did you discover poetry? Was it
during your childhood in the city, in the Bronx, like
(06:35):
you said that New York, you learn a lot at
such a small young age. Did you discover writing at
that point when you were learning so much at such
a young age, or did poetry find you later in
your career in your life.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I poetry like really got me when I was in
high school. You know. The The unfortunate thing about the
educational system, you know then when I was coming up
through the ranks and still to this day, is that
poetry is kind of a mini section. Like that's probably
(07:08):
a day or two in a given like English course.
So you know, there were moments and I still remember
these moments, you know, maybe like second grade, fifth grade,
seventh grade, where there was a poetry section and I
was really excited just to like have something creative to
do in class, and you know, reading something that was
(07:30):
different from all of the short stories, different from the
you know, the plays that we read, et cetera. But
it wasn't until high school, Like it wasn't until I
was a freshman in high school where I started taking
up journaling seriously. And basically what happened is that over time,
(07:51):
I was just like journaling every single day, just like
writing everything that I did throughout the day, and day
after day got more detailed. I started describing that just
what I did that day, but I was talking about
like the facial expressions in my friend's face when they
told me this, and that I started describing what passers
(08:13):
by were wearing. Like I was becoming really detailed, like
borderline obsessive with my journal entries. I wanted it to
be as descriptive as possible, and then that became a
problem because it caused insomnia. Like I was recounting my
day into the night and so poetry just kind of
happened from there. I found shortcuts, I found ways of
(08:40):
describing emotions in detail that didn't need all that detail.
I took it upon myself to learn new words so
that I didn't have to like use a sentence to
describe something. I could just use that one word. And
so you know, my ballooned, and then poetry allowed it
(09:03):
to become more condensed, and I just stuck to it
from there. I never got bored. I just kept writing
poems about whatever I felt like, wow, wow.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
You know, in the journey of kind of I one
could say, I guess becoming a poet is a lot
of you know, you really do describe yourself as a
documentor of just life around you. Like you even saying
that you were just going into such detail, almost like
a summer like neuroticism of just details of people's lives
(09:36):
that caused you insomnia. What do you think where did
that come from? What do you think that really kind
of was inside of you that just wanted to write
a detailed script and narration of everything your eyeballs were seeing,
even as a like as.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
A kid, if you're good, you're good. I yeah, I
it was around that time that I that I realized
that I was suffering from depression. I started going to therapy.
You know, things were changing around that time, and I
(10:11):
became a little bit more quiet, more reserved with people
with peers, at school, with family, and I don't know,
at least with me. I'm not going to be prescriptive,
but like you stopped talking for a good month and
you start seeing a lot of things going on, you
start to notice. I became very observant around that time,
(10:34):
but I still needed something to say. I didn't trust
myself to speak out verbally, but I think there's I
think we all have an inherent need to be seen
be heard. So while my mouth didn't want to talk,
I let my pen do the talking. And you know,
it's you're a teenager, You're in high school. There's a
(10:57):
lot of changes going on. Things are becoming very very different,
and yeah, you know a lot of new things on
the horizon you have to worry about. You know, you're
starting to really think about careers in college. Yeah, I
wanted to document that. I wanted to catch everything and
process it. Poetry allowed me to really take these things
(11:20):
in think about my experiences more thoroughly and come to
some conclusions about what kind of person am I? Now?
What kind of person do I want to be? What
is this world that I mean? Why does society work
this way? Yeah? I needed it for my well being.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Absolutely absolutely, Tell me and thank you for sharing that.
That takes a lot, definitely to share that perspective and
that experience, So we really do appreciate you sharing that
with us. Tell me a little bit about how kind
of moving gears a little bit. How does that area
of South Bronx, How as a poet from Harlem, South Bronx,
(12:04):
what does that mean to your writing? I know, like,
as we talked about before before we start the show,
the New York City is like it's unlike I think
any other place in the world. I think the Bronx, right, Harlem,
there's such staples, but they're so unique in terms of
there it's just fertile ground. For so much has happened,
(12:25):
so much history, So many feet have walked there on
that ground, so much history, right, so much movement, action, pain, joy, beauty. Right,
so much has happened on those in just that area. Right.
How do you feel that the area, your environment of Harlem,
South Bronx. Has that really influenced and shaped who you
(12:46):
are as a writer or is that kind of just
another chapter in the whole you know sphere of who
Miguel is just one of the many layers of who
you are? Or has that really shaped who you are
as a writer?
Speaker 2 (12:58):
You know, the city is fused to me, Like you know,
you if you're born and raised here, this is basically
who you are. It doesn't matter where I've gone, those
instincts are always there. But yeah, like you know, thinking
about my my neighborhoods, my stomping grounds, you know, historically
(13:20):
speaking as you say, like Harlem Renaissance, you know what
Langston Hughes crossed the same streets I did? You know,
Boogie down Bronx. This is the birthplace of hip hop's
It's it's a story place. It's a very storied place,
and you don't really like recognize that until later and
you like dive deep into the history of your place.
(13:42):
You know, as a kid, I it was just the place.
It was just where I am, the only place I know.
But yeah, it's it's It's always in my poetry, Like
even when I'm gone, I'm writing about New York well,
and it's kind of it's inseparable because it's like, you know,
a lot of my poems try to process things that
(14:04):
happen when I was young. Place is tied to those memories.
I feel like I can't have those memories without New York.
You know, I will always place my poems somewhere, those feelings,
those like occurrences, that childhood that was in the backdrop
of concrete and asphalt and buildings, skyscrapers, cars are zipping by,
(14:32):
you know, the horns are blaring, crowds of people. It's inseparable.
It's always always there. Even when I'm writing about California,
I feel like New York is there.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Wow, wow, wow, No, that's amazing. It's and I think
I'm wondering you. I'm not a native New Yorker, but
you are. You tell me if I'm Wronger right, that
is something just so unique. Well, maybe not unique. I'm
sure if we have people from the South, they would
say maybe the South I was as a special place
in their heart. But yeah, New York is a very
(15:03):
very the city, New York City, very very special place. Now.
That's that's amazing that you said you're bonded you're fused
to it, and that's absolutely amazing.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
For better for worse, you know, like it's it's a
famous place, well renowned. People across the world want to
come here. But you know, gentrification is always happening. Our
mayors are never good. You know, there's a constant fear
of you know, violence and you know, a fear of
(15:36):
a potential uptick and crime basically all the time, whether
it's happening or not. You know, it's for better or
for worse for sure, bit or sweet that.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Are sweet for better for worse. Now, that's a good
good way to put it. Now, I do want to
I want to now kind of go shift as we
kind of move forward down what has been your career
so far before we get to being a twenty twenty
two length and the us Fellow, Coved kunt of Fellow,
all these phenomenal works that you've done in accolades, I
want to talk about the time you spent at UC
(16:08):
Riverside and receiving your MSA and creative writing. I think
it's so pertinent and it intrigues me being as someone
that's lived on both West and East Coast. What I mean,
what was it like having the experience going to UC Riverside.
I went to actually you see Davis myself, I'm very
familiar with like the UC system. I'm just wondering, how
(16:30):
does how does how does anyone even from South Bronx Harlem?
How do you hear about a place like U see Riverside? Right?
How do you hear about? You know what made you
kind of traverse all the way to the other side
of the country to really pursue and continue your education
with writing? And what? What? What is the difference you
see West versus East Coast in terms of just the
(16:53):
environment as a poet? You know what? Was just somethings
you you took note of.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Got my bachelor's degree in psychology, and initially I wanted
to be a therapist, like I wanted to specialize in
like helping kids and teens overcome like neurodivergence. I wanted
to be support for people that dealt with things that
I dealt with when I was younger. But at some
(17:22):
point it must have been like early senior year, I
realized that this is not necessarily for me, and so
I was looking for something to commit to career wise
that I would not get bored with that I know that,
like my interests will never waiver and the only thing
that I could come up with is poetry. So once
(17:44):
I graduated, I applied to MFA programs, including uc Riverside,
and I was lucky to get a get an admission
for UCR and I, you know, I I was excited.
I was always interested in moving west. I was always
interested in living outside of the state. And you know,
(18:07):
at that point in my life, this is like twenty eighteen,
the stress of the city was getting to me. I
was starting to get tired of like walking in crowds.
I was craving something slower paced, something that would keep
my nerves low. So I was like, yeah, let's do it.
Let's go to calling so that you know that that's
what initially brought me out there, and you know it,
(18:32):
it did give me a sense of calm. It gave
me what I needed at the time. You know, nice weather,
sun all the time, you get that vitamin D. You know,
people are generally chiller, less hustle and bustle, a little
slower paced. You know, you got you got the beach
near by, like a nice clean beach nearby to go to.
(18:57):
You know, the only issue at the time is you
grow up in New York. It don't need a license,
you don't need to drive. So that became a problem
pretty quickly. I actually just got my license two years ago.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Okay, wow, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
First time. So yeah, it's it's it's nice, it's it's
low paced. But you know, I think within three years
I realized, Okay, I'm getting a little bored.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Now.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
I need more I need more action, I need more activity.
There are no delis on the corners. Uh, like, I
need somewhere to go to for food at one in
the morning, and nothing's open except for McDonald's in California.
For some reason, I was missing the activity. So you
know that this was a good point in my life
to return. And yeah, it's I did. I feel like
(19:57):
this is always gonna be the case. I feel like
within a few years of being here in New York,
I'm gonna be like, oh I missed the slow pace
of Cali, and then maybe I'll go back. And then
within three years I'll be like, I'm bored here. I'm
going to go back to New York. You know, you
miss what you don't have.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Yeah, no, that's that's that's interesting. That is so fascinating. Man, man,
you needed a chop cheese at one am. So yeah,
I have to go back to the city. Oh my goodness,
gracious right now. That that's really something to hear, though,
I do. I hear a lot of that, that expression
from a lot of people. People they love the slow
(20:35):
pace of maybe, let's say, in this case California, especially
a place like Riverside. It's so nice there. I mean,
it's so relaxed, it's so it's literally the A one
eighty of New York City. I mean, you wouldn't even
be able to compare the two even on a similar day.
I mean, it's really complete opposites of each other. So
(20:57):
it's kind of interesting to hear you say you eventually
wanted to go back to the hustle and bustle and
rancor that is the city. I'm curious too, then your
time there, just even as a writer, how did you
see your writing change or did it change when you
lived in California? You know, such a different paced, slower
(21:18):
paced environment. Did you see a difference in your poetry?
You're thinking the schematic of the design of how you
wrote what you wrote about.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
For sure, for sure, and you know to the extent
that just being there affected my work. You know, like
I said before, a place is important to me. I
need a backdrop for what I'm writing about.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
So I remember walking around the campus of UCR like
for the first two three weeks. You should have seen me.
I was just like whoa, whoa, because it's just like
succulence everywhere, you know, just like introducing yourself, like familiarize
yourself with the new trees, the new plants. All of
(22:04):
a sudden, instead of you know, the rats and the roaches,
it's geckos or some other lizards just like skittering about
on your walk. The sunrises and the sunsets were different. Yeah, wow,
like like brighter. They say that it's air pollution, but
it's beautiful. So yeah, it just changed. It changed the
(22:29):
imagery of my work. There was there was less about
crowds of people and like losing yourself amongst them and
wanting connection, and it was more like it was almost
pastoral or pastoral leaning. That shift from you know, everything
around me as a building in a crowd to everything
(22:52):
around me are these beautiful plants and the warmth and
the quiet.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
So yeah, yeah, it's it's really interesting sometimes to like
look at two poems of mind where one is like
very clearly New York and one is very clearly like
deserted California, Southern California. Yes, yeah, dramatic difference, like even
(23:21):
in tone.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Yeah wow wow. Now that to even kind of I think,
to even notice that change in yourself, I think already
is a bit It's completely metaphorical, but also very shows
the level of self care that you have for yourself,
because most people probably wouldn't be able to address the
(23:43):
fact that they were going through that type of change.
Like you said, even seeing like the suck of us,
I mean just even lizards on the wall. Those those
are things people don't even notice when they go to
a different place. You know. The fact that you're able
to kind of recognize and do that kind of internal
self reflection that even you know, just the way how
you were seeing things, you're writing something, even those my
(24:04):
new details was really all changing because of your environment.
That's really very amazing to hear. So tell me a
little bit about your work, Kaved Kandum a fellow, that's
some huge, huge, huge You're a huge deal, Miguel, that's
a big, big deal. Tell me a little bit about
your time there as a fellow. You know we've here.
(24:26):
I hear stories all the time people that I know
they've you know, done that fellowship. And you know, obviously
you have some very very elite company from a lot
of amazing folks that have tooken that that pledge before you.
So tell us a little bit about your time as
a fellow there.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Yeah, I mean I yeah, I got the news that
I got accepted for my first retreat last year.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
And I I I was actually flabbergasted because I graduated
from the MFA in twenty twenty and I had a
peer there who was a year ahead of me. Her
name is Jasmine Elizabeth Smith, fantastic, brilliant poet.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
Yeah, and you.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Know we were the only two black poets there.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
And you know, before she graduated, she was telling me
over and over reply a plata Cave, Please applat to Cove.
You have to apply to Cove all the time, but
tell me to do so. She graduates, I start my
second year of the MFA, and you know, the year
(25:45):
becomes twenty twenty and then suddenly it's a pandemic, so
that Cove was canceled. I believe the cove after that
was also canceled, and so in twenty twenty two they
had to bring bring in the people that were accepted
initial for twenty twenty, so they were not accepting applications
for that year. So I applied for the twenty twenty
(26:07):
three conference, and that was my first time applying, and
I was just astounded that I got in. But I
think I was more shocked when I got there, how
amazing it was, like genuinely how amazing, Like it filled
my heart, like, you know, for for all the good
(26:32):
that the MFA did for me, I learned a lot.
I met, you know, peers and friends that I'm going
to hold on to forever my work grew. I think
it's always going to be the case for most people.
I don't think I've heard anyone disagree with this idea.
The MFA is never what you expected today. You imagine
(26:53):
something a little I don't know, idyllic. You imagine some
sort of like artistic heaven the MFA, But it's not
exactly that. Speaking for myself, Covid was exactly that, you know,
like all of those poets were gifted and kind and sweet,
(27:16):
and they hold you tenderly. You know I have social anxiety,
and that dissipated in a day. Wow, I was talking
to everybody, and everybody was talking to me like I
wasn't nervous anymore. I wasn't scared to share my stuff.
I wasn't scared to talk about anything. It was beautiful, beautiful.
(27:37):
Last year, it was, you know, one of the greatest
weeks of my life. I went again this past summer
again one of the greatest weeks of my life.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Wow. Wow, Now those are such heavy but also beautiful words.
I feel like in most of those, in situations like that,
where you're with like the elite of the elite, the
top of your class that you're you know, those are
the top people in your in your sport, right in
your arena, in your craft, in your art. I think
(28:07):
usually people they find themselves with that intense imposter syndrome,
you know, where it's like, dang, everyone I thought I
was talented, I get everyone else is talented. People also
can walk and shoot them at the same time, you
know what I mean. People, You know, people are just
as good or even not even better, right, And it's
so it must have been such a great feeling, Like
(28:28):
you said, it wasn't like it was an environment that
was everyone's gifts were just flowing with each other like
a circle. Right like you said it was you felt full.
I mean that must have been. I mean, yeah, you said,
greatest week of your life. I mean, what do you
think it fostered that type of environment at that kave
(28:49):
kanem as opposed to you know that intense imposter syndrome
people that are so great When people gather together in
those types of environments, it tends to be a little off.
People do feel that anxiety. What made this so different,
you think?
Speaker 2 (29:06):
I mean a number of things I can name, and
I'm sure it's a lot more that I wouldn't even
be able to put my finger on. But I feel
like everyone there is just grateful to be there, and
you know, like there with a sense of humility, not
(29:28):
trying to perform or outperform. We're all there on a mission.
We want our work to get better, and we want company.
We want people to be able to hear us and
accept us. And I think it's just a space where
you know a number of the walls are torn down.
(29:50):
Every covey begins with the opening circle, the night that
everyone arrives and it's all inspiring and terrifying and sad.
Everyone sits in a circle and goes around the room
answering the question why are you here? However you interpret
(30:14):
that question, and people have stories, people have experiences, people
have things that they've dealt with, you know, just a
few years, a few months, a few days prior to
this moment, and they have stories to tell. They have
things that they've dealt with. They've lost people, they've lost jobs,
(30:37):
they've lost time. Yeah, it becomes very honest and very
thorough and very beautiful. Just how vulnerable everyone gets from
the jump. That's the beginning of the week. Everyone just
basically confessing to what they've gone through. And I think
(31:03):
I think that tears down the wall sufficiently for you
to you know, understand, these are not these are not
complete strangers to you anymore. For the rest of the week,
you know what they've been through, or at least a
fraction of what they've been through. Uh, And you can
hold them and they can hold you having shared your
(31:23):
own vulnerability, and that makes sharing the poems easier within
your group or at the readings, or you know, just
hanging out having lunch together to share a poem that
you wrote, It's It's It's a nice time. The vulnerability
allows us to be more open and receptive people and
(31:47):
giving people.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Now. I know we had started off this interview we
had talked about your I had read all of your
amazing accolades, and I remember you had said you're still
fledgling with your success. Tell me where you I mean,
where are you at in this day like now? I
know you use the word fledgling, but where do you
feel like you truly are now? I mean, are you
(32:11):
Are you happy with where you are as as you've
developed as a poet, as a writer, all these you know, again,
distinguished achievements that you've been able to to surmount to
get to or do you do you feel like you're
at a point now where you feel comfortable, where you
feel like, hey, I can, I can. I am a
poet and I know it, I know this, I am
(32:32):
a writer. Or do you still feel like there's aspects
of you where you have not gone to that quote
unquote mountaintop? How much? How much do you feel like
you still are climbing on your journey.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
I feel like I've done a good amount of work
fighting off the impostor syndrome. It's still there, it still
comes up from time to time. I think I was
lucky enough that I was able to shake off the
question of am I really a poet? Back in high school.
I know I've known people in their m phase questioning
whether they're a poet. One of the major parts of
(33:16):
that fight for me personally is, you know, comparing myself
to others, this idea that I wanted a book, two
books published before I turned thirty. I'm about to turn
thirty in a month, a month from today. No book yet,
no manuscript yet. And that required accepting that there's so
(33:42):
much time, that there's just so much time. I've been
working on these poems NonStop, but the manuscript is not ready.
I'm going to give it it's time. I'm going to
keep writing these poems until I feel ready to put
them in the right order and I am confident and
happy with what that manuscript is. I read an interview
(34:06):
with Eduardo corral from a few years back when when
when he released Slow Lightning, and I believe it was
like like he said that it was eight years post
MFA that he worked on that his first collection of poems,
(34:26):
and he was asked about that in the interview when
that was his rationale, like it needed time and I
was willing to give it that time. So you know,
I've I've learned to wrangle with my with my impatience.
It's not a race anymore. It's it's not about me,
you know, getting a book out at the same age
(34:50):
as these other people. It's about me getting my book
out on my time when I think it's ready. And
in the meantime, like I'm still growing my craft, you know,
like I'm still developing this work. It's not like this
time is being wasted. I'm committed to only getting better. So, yeah,
(35:10):
I patience is key. The book will be ready when
it's ready. In the meantime, I'm just gonna keep writing poems.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's such a beautiful thing.
And I also think that's honestly, I think you may
have just unlocked the key because that is so freeing.
I feel for you to just say I'm on the time,
it's gonna come out when it's ready to come out.
I'm not. And like you said, people, I think get
into this moment in this sphere of thinking I need
(35:41):
to do this, I need to do this before this
certain age. I need to hit this mark, I need
to do this.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Do that.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
And again, as cliche as it is, we look at
everyone's highlight real you don't see what people have gone
through to maybe where that person did something in a
short amount of time, but you didn't see what they
had to go through to get they solve window that
they had and this is just when they had finally
their time to jump on an opportunity. And it is
(36:06):
such a freeing thing when you, like you said, wrangling
in patients. Patience really is such a major key of life,
because I remember I said this to a friend the
other day. You know, we can you know, we can
only bend the universe to our will so far. Right
at the end of the day, it's a big, old
(36:27):
universe with a lot of question marks that we have
no control over. You only can really control what's right
in front of you and how you're dealing with things
in your own life, choosing to stay, walk away from
continue to be in different situations. So I think that
must be such a freeing feeling to kind of just say, hey,
(36:47):
I'm on my time. This is when my book comes out,
my first whatever maybe collection all these things, this is
when it's going to come out. How did you kind
of reach that center of peace that I think a
lot of people don't reach. I think it's very hard
to build that mental fortitude of patients, especially in the arts.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
Mm hmm. I I think it's once I really started
noticing that my work was getting better. I think that
was probably one of the biggest I guess drivers towards
me being calmer and patient about the speed of my career,
(37:34):
knowing that I am honing my craft and the signs
are there, you know, like being able to see that
this poem from you know, this year, I can I
can read that, and I can compare it to the
one that I wrote two years ago, and I much
prefer this new one.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
It's proof that you are on a trajectory so long
as you commit to bettering yourself, bettering your craft, making
your voice stronger, expanding any aspect of the way that
you write. If you're committed to that and you see
(38:16):
the progress, you see the growth, you know, those bigger
accomplishments will come. That book will put itself together at
some point, but the time is being spent well. It
also helps having peers. It also helps having friends that
are on the same on the same path that you
are trying to put that book together, trying to put
(38:38):
their second book together, and being able to commiserate, being
able to support each other, that sense of community. There
were periods of time where I didn't have it, and
that lack was very, very painful, and then there were
times where I did have it, and I I have
(39:00):
a lot of it now. That support system is really
really important.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
One thousand percent. Yes, community, community means so much. Thank
you so much, Miguel for sharing. It's been such a
such an amazing conversation thus far. I really appreciate you
opening up your words to us, heart, mind, soul, all
those good things. Miguel. Miguel, we have one last question
(39:27):
for you on the Post Speaks podcast today. Miguel, why
do you need to get your words out?
Speaker 2 (39:37):
I I feel like this is the the most that
I can give. Poetry is the activity that I enjoy
the most. I think that it's it's like that art,
that that making of a thing, putting those words together,
(39:58):
making them right or as close to right as possible.
That's my favorite kind of toiling. That's that's my favorite
way to spend a few hours, to spend a few days,
to spend a few months, and there are stories to
be told. It's not just mine. You know, my story
includes my sister's story, my parents' stories, my grandparents' stories.
(40:25):
I don't know anybody else in my family that told
these stories. I have peers that are telling stories. You know,
of different parts of the city, different neighborhoods or something.
You know, different states, different countries. I think, I think
these stories, the stories of my neighbors, the stories of
like the working class people of color in the Bronx,
(40:49):
they need to be told. They need to be told.
You know, they can people can try to like obscure
certain histories, but like, so long as somebody is telling
these stories, those people will never be gone. There is
an immortalization. So it is a sense of responsibility. If
(41:10):
you're willing to give your words to explain the hardships
that people go through for living where you live, for
being the color that you are, for being queer, you know,
it's all worth it. It's all worth it. It's it's
my biggest drive. I have to I just have to.
Speaker 1 (41:34):
Nice, nice, absolutely, Thank you so much, Miguel, Then thank
you for sharing all of your amazing words everyone. That's
why Miguel needs to use words out all right, and now, Miguel,
tell us what is the rest of twenty twenty four
looking for you? Right now? Obviously we got we're nswering
the last chur of twenty twenty four. So what is
(41:55):
the rest of the year looking like for you? Any events?
And tell us where can folks check out all of
you are amazing and beautiful work. Any websites, social media leaks,
tell the folks out there.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
Yeah for sure. So I this Thursday, I'm actually going
to be at a reading. It's like the Exquisits series.
You can follow them at Exquisits BK on Instagram. Yeah,
it's five queer poets twelve minutes each at the Aberdeen
Community Garden in Brooklyn. It's also going to be streamed.
(42:26):
There's gonna be a zoom so you can follow them
for information there. I'm looking forward to a few poems
that are gonna come out of mine in the Colorado
Review and three other poems in Narrative that they were
named the finalist of or a finalists for their sixteenth
(42:50):
Annual Poetry Contest. So I'm excited for those six poems
to come out later this year. And I'm just going
to keep writing, keep writing, keep it floor in my city.
Finding open mics.
Speaker 1 (43:03):
Yeah absolutely. Where can we find your stuff? Any links? Website,
social media?
Speaker 2 (43:08):
Check out I'm mmp poetry on Instagram.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
All right, everyone check off. All of Miguel's links will
be down below in the detailed box section. No matter
what platform, you listen to this amazing podcast on. Again,
a big thank you, Thank you so much Miguel for
joining us today on the Post Speaks Podcast.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
Thank you so much. I appreciate it absolutely.
Speaker 1 (43:34):
And again everyone go check off Miguel's amazing works. His
links will be down below in the description box by
where you listen to this podcast? Everyone, This is the
Post Speaks Podcast, Like I said, the number one poetry
podcast in the world. Everyone, all right, thank you so much.
Talk to you soon, boye bye
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