Interview with Kamden Ishmael Hilliard
Waves Breaking
Finally, after a long break, Waves Breaking returns with this interview with Kamden Ishmael Hilliard. Kam generously shares their time with me to discuss their debut book of poems, , out last year with Nightboat Books. We go in deep to discuss their thoughts around the sentence, modes of speech, writing poems within this current era of late-stage capitalism, and teaching students. Kamden Ishmael Hilliard was born in La Jolla, CA; their fam settled on O'ahu, Hawai'i. Kamden holds a BA in American Studies from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa and an MFA in Poetry from the Iowa Writers'...
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Interview with Yanyi
Waves Breaking
Photo of Yanyi, taken by him In this episode I spoke with Yanyi about his new book, Dream of the Divided Field, and his newsletter, . Yanyi is the author of (One World Random House, 1 March 2022) and (Yale University Press 2019), winner of the . His work has been featured in or at NPR’s All Things Considered, New York Public Library, Granta, and New England Review, and he is the recipient of fellowships from Asian American Writers’ Workshop and Poets House. He holds an MFA in Poetry from New York University and was most recently poetry editor at . Currently, he teaches creative writing...
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Interview with Sarah Nnenna Loveth Nwafor
Waves Breaking
In this interview, I spoke with Sarah Nnenna Loveth Nwafor about their latest publication Already Knew You Were Coming. We discuss Igbo cosmology and time, vengeance poetry, their process in writing this chapbook, and more. Sarah Nnenna Loveth Nwafor (They/Them) is a queer Igbo-American Poet, Educator, and Facilitator who descends of a powerful ancestry. They believe that storytelling is magick, and they speak to practice traditions of Igbo orature. When they witness, their forebears are pleased. Sarah has been writing for a minute and is learning something new about their voice each year, but...
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Interview with Cody-Rose Clevidence
Waves Breaking
In this episode, I spoke with Cody-Rose Clevidence about their latest publication, Aux Arc / Trypt Ich, out with Nightboat Books. We dug into language, exploring motif, grief, love—all that good stuff. Cody-Rose Clevidence is the author of BEAST FEAST (2014) and Flung/Throne (2018), both from Ahsahta Press, Listen My Friend This is the Dream I Dreamed Last Night from The Song Cave and Aux Arc / Trypt Ich as well as several handsome chapbooks (flowers and cream, NION, garden door press, Auric). They live in the Arkansas Ozarks with...
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Interview with féi hernandez
Waves Breaking
In this episode, I spoke with féi hernandez about , their poetry collection released in 2020. We also spoke about their incredible skills as an illustrator, and féi recommends some fantastic reads. féi hernandez (b.1993 Chihuahua, Mexico) is a trans, Inglewood- raised, formerly undocumented immigrant artist, writer, healer. They have been published in POETRY, Pank Magazine, Oxford Review of Books, Frontier Poetry, The Breakbeat Poets Vol. 4: LatiNext, amongst others. They are a Define American Fellow for 2021 and are currently the Board President of Gender Justice Los Angeles. féi is the...
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Interview with Larkin Christie
Waves Breaking
In this episode, I spoke with Larkin Christie about their book gather all your supple creatures. Larkin Christie is a queer poet living on unceded Pocumtuc land in what is currently known as Western Massachusetts. Their second collection, gather all your supple creatures, is out now. Their creative work draws on experiences as an educator, organizer, and dancer. Larkin's Larkin's Go buy ! Quotes, workshop, and media mentioned in this episode: , workshop , band From Larkin: "I just did some research and the quote is actually by Shelly...
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Interview with KB
Waves Breaking
In this episode, I spoke with KB about their zine “A New Relationship to Pain,” their relationship to poetry, the pandemic, working as a poet and educator, and more.
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Interview with Rainie Oet
Waves Breaking
In this episode I spoke with Rainie Oet about their recent publication Glorious Veils of Diane. Content warning: We talk a lot about blood and some about self-harming Rainie Oet is a nonbinary writer and game designer, former Editor-in-Chief of Salt Hill Journal, and the author of Glorious Veils of Diane (Carnegie Mellon University Press, 2021), as well as two other books: Porcupine in Freefall and Inside Ball Lightning. They have an MFA in Poetry from Syracuse University, where they were awarded the Shirley Jackson Prize in Fiction. Rainie's ...
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Interview with Anaïs Duplan and imogen xtian smith
Waves Breaking
In this episode, I dive deep into one poem with its authors, Anaïs Duplan and imogen xtian smith. Tune in for our conversation about of art, love, and utopias. Anaïs Duplan is a trans* poet, curator, and artist. He is the author of a book of essays, (Black Ocean, 2020), a full-length poetry collection, Take This Stallion (Brooklyn Arts Press, 2016), and a chapbook, Mount Carmel and the Blood of Parnassus (Monster House Press, 2017). He has taught poetry at the University of Iowa, Columbia University, Sarah Lawrence College, and St. Joseph’s College. His...
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Interview with noor ibn najam
Waves Breaking
In this episode I spoke with noor ibn najam about her recent work and writing process. they also discussed showing work to friends and skill-sharing. Sorry that the intro and outro audio is a little wonky this time around, but my interview with noor is still good. noor is a poet who teases, challenges, breaks, and creates language. she's received fellowships from Callaloo and The Watering Hole and is a recent resident of the Vermont Studio Center. her poems have been published and anthologized with DIAGRAM, ANMLY, The Academy of American Poets, the Rumpus, Bettering American Poetry, and...
info_outlineThis month, I had the pleasure of meeting Venus Selenite in person while she started her first leg of her #RehabYearTour. Venus is a Bettering American Poetry 2016 nominee, a 2017 Pink Door Fellow, and one of the most notable trans women of color interdisciplinary artists in the United States. She is the author of two books: trigger and the fire been here. She lives in Washington, D.C. and the internet.
- Venus's website
- Venus's Patreon
- trigger
- The Fire Been Here
- James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
- Nameless Woman anthology
- Goddess X
- KOKUMỌ
- J Mase III
- Jamie Berrout
- Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi
- Jayy Dodd
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- Their new book Mannish Tongues
- Also, shameless plug for my interview with them back on Episode 10
- What you can do to support trans artists of color (thread)