June 2, 2022

“In the Spring” has an interesting form, in terms of line lengths and stanza lengths. I love the way the stanzas seem to drip into each other. How did this form come to be, and how did you decide that’s what this poem needed?

I am both humbled and flattered by this question. The form of this poem, like that of so many of my others, was entirely accidental.

In my experience, writing poetry is a bit like freewriting. I put a pen to paper and see where the spirit takes me. More often than not, the result is unremarkable. But once in a while, I end up arranging some words in a way that echoes the human experience.

Reading over something I’ve written and realizing, there is a readership for this work; it’s important that it is shared with the world–those moments are electrifying. They’re what every writer lives for.

This poem touches on very difficult themes of motherhood. How does motherhood intersect with your poetry and your writing in general?

Nothing has a greater influence on my writing–or my life–than the experience of motherhood.

Becoming a mother has fundamentally changed the way I look at the world. I suspect that it has even changed the chemistry of my brain. In a more practical sense, it has definitely changed the way in which I work. I am forced to experiment in my head a lot more, because I don’t have the freedom or energy to sit down and write every time I feel like I need to say something. So, I tend to ruminate on my ideas longer these days, and write in much shorter bursts.

How did you come to first start writing poetry? When did you first consider yourself a poet?

Like a lot of people, I first started experimenting with poetry in high school. I moved away from it for some time afterward, and resumed the practice in the summer of 2019 with some encouragement from a dear friend.

I don’t think I have ever considered myself a poet. I’ve always thought of myself as just a writer. I write everything, anything–if it interests me, if it moves me, if it makes me curious, I want to write about it. Because of the way my life is currently arranged (work, raising three children under age 5, “homeschooling”, homesteading, etc.) writing poems tends to feel better than writing other things. I can purge myself of an idea quickly and feel accomplished or relieved, and get right back to that work email or weeding the garden or wiping butts.

Do you have any strange writing quirks?

I don’t think I do! Almost everything surrounding my writing practice these days is purely practical. I get up very early, around 4am, and sneak down to the couch. I make coffee and work on literary things in my pajamas in complete silence, and I don’t think about any other responsibilities. It’s heaven.

Any upcoming writing news, publications, or work we can share? If our readers want to read more, where can they go?

You can find me on Instagram @karaqwrites, or visit my website www.karaqwrites.com. I am hoping to have more work to share soon, and will certainly update both of those channels if anything exciting happens! In particular, I am wrapping up my first serious attempt at a novel and hoping that it will be in a good place to query agents with by the end of ’22.