Monday, October 29, 2012

The Window To The World On Life of A Poet Week 25





Can you tell us about yourself?  Which country do you live in now? What’s your profession? be general, no need to specify your location...

I live in Australia with my husband and youngest daughter and I work in office administration. 

We’re happy that you have been part of Poets Rally as a participant, what has driven you to where you are in this particular community? 

 Reading poems posted here by the many talented poets is always inspiring and drives me to write. It's a down to earth community without any pretenses. It is also very supportive and encouraging and I appreciate this aspect of it.

How long have you been blogging? Do you think being part of a poetry community contributes to your creative writing?

I've been blogging for about three years now and enjoy it very much. Being part of a community contributes greatly to writing. It inspires and stimulates my own creativity. To be a good poet, one must read poetry and this is a great way to do it, plus you get to meet other poets. I have found comments on my poems to be very encouraging. It's always so nice to receive a positive comment and this spurs me on, especially when I'm feeling talentless. 

Why poetry? Do you write fiction too?

I just write poetry. I had a go a flash fiction but then went back to poetry. I like using different forms and devices to get my message across. It's challenging and I like that. 


Please share 3 to 5 blog links you enjoy reading most, give 1 or 2 sentences to tell why you love their creative process.

There's so much talent out there but I think these would have to be my favourite because of their honesty and talent:



How do you know when a poem is done? your own experiences need to be shared here...

It's hard to know when a poem is done. It never is really but I'm happy if I can get my message across clearly. 


How do you decide when a poem is "good"? Do you redo your own poems after they’re posted? it could be poem someone else written...

I do a lot of rewriting. My draft is always lame and it's easy to discard but I push myself to improve on it, using different words (the thesaurus is my friend) and techniques until I'm happy with it. That doesn't mean that I don't change it once I've posted it. Posting a poem on the Internet seems to add the pressure I need to improve on it.

Do you think music and poetry are related? Why?

Sometimes I listen to classical music. It's supposed to stimulate creativity but I don't know it that really works well with me. 

What issues are closed to your heart? Women’s rights, child abuses, etc.…name one…

Children, animals and nature are close to my heart. I love nature and I write a lot about it because I think we don't appreciate it as much as we should today. We're all too busy. We need to take the time to stop and sit under a tree and just breathe it all in. I also like to write to make people more aware of issues like the children of Cambodia for instance. 

 What’s your other hobbies besides writing? Do you have pets?  

I have two dogs, a toy poodle and a fox terrier who are my constant companions. I like scrapbooking and quilting but they don't get any attention any more. My first passion is poetry and that's what I focus on. I haven't had much time to write this year but hopefully that will change next year. 


Please list your blog links below, share 1 or 2 poems that represents best of your poetry talent…


Two of my favorite poems are:

Jacaranda
September blooms of purple hues,
adorn the city street.
And in bright splendor praises Spring,
where limbs and feathers meet.
Amid soft purple hues I lay,
to rest my weary head.
In fantasies drifting away,
Upon a sprinkled spread.
Copyright © 2011 Norma Martiri
Cambodian Flower
Falling petals brush her face,
Fantasies fill time and space.
Mae’s soft kisses touch her cheeks,
A kind whisper softly speaks.
Desperation tugs and bays,
Darkness fills the longest days.
Sweaty faces, frenzied hands,
Sunny beaches, waves and sands.
Dirty kisses lick her neck,
Torture keeps rebels in check.
  Favoriteball games played with friends,
Heavy breathing, soon it ends.
Lotuses float overhead,
How she wishes she were dead.
Copyright © 2011 Norma Martiri

hyde park poetry week 156, Happy Thanksgiving