InDigest: InDialogue - Wright and Fung

Erica Wright: Hi Tiffany.

Tiffany Noelle Fung: Hi Erica!

You made it :)

Wright: Finally.

Fung: So I don’t know how ‘literary’ we’re supposed to make this conversation, but the first question I could think of to ask was about ‘poetry pet peeves,’ certain words, or ending linebreaks on certain words, poems in the shape of ducks, etc.

Wright: I love that question. Um, line breaks on prepositions...I’ve never seen a poem shaped like a duck! That might be fabulous.

Fung: haha - you’re right - these days editors are just glad to get a “well-shaped” poem let alone one of a duck.

Wright: I’m wary of love poems in general. There are so many possible traps, but then I’ll read one that really works, and my faith in love poems is restored for a few days.

Fung: Well, what struck me about your poems was that they seemed to unabashedly address the subject of love, or longing, and were completely fresh / alive.

Wright: I think you have to embarrass yourself a little when writing. Maybe that’s not the best way to put it. The stakes have to be high, whatever that means for you. (I want to get back to your pet poetic peeves at some point!)

Fung: Agreed - let it get messy.

Wright: Exactly.

Fung: Pet peeves: words like “words.”

Wright: I like that you used the phrase “well-shaped” to describe poems earlier because your poems are particularly well-shaped. They’re aesthetically pleasing, which is important because it invites the reader.

Fung: I’m neurotic about how it appears on the page, and even prefer a landscaped page, since I don’t tend to write super long poems.

Wright: “The Pruning” is a good example of that. And the form matches the content.

Fung: I was intending, if I may quote a line of yours, “to show restraint” - well I attempted...

Wright: It definitely works. And it makes the ending more believable. “Tonight I want no manners.”

Fung: Writing in first person is also, to me, more difficult.

Wright: Why do you think that is?

Fung: You are more brave. It’s dramatic - makes me, as a reader, feel voyeuristic

Wright: That makes sense. And the confessionalist poets did it so well (Robert Lowell, for example)...which is both inspiring and intimidating.

Do you often write about art? (“The Beekeepers”)

Fung: I haven’t in a while; I had come across that drawing while working at a doctor’s office; someone must have left it [a book on Brueghel] after visiting the MET’s exhibition on Brueghel.

Wright: Those masks are terrifying.

Fung: It’s so disconcerting

What do you find that prompts you to write? Were there any specific ‘prompts’ for these 3 poems [“On Having Forgotten the Exact Shape of Your Mouth”, “Woolgathering,” and “Industry”]?

Wright: Sometimes other texts. Lately I’ve been flipping through Greek tragedies, which I read as an ungrad. So The Bacchus comes in at the end of “Industry.” But in general finding prompts is difficult for me. And I get a little paranoid about not finding something.

Fung: I completely agree - without deadlines (from the workshop environment), it’s harder for me to write.

Wright: Yeah, I love deadlines.

Fung: Or if I do write, I spend all my time second-guessing myself and rewriting it.

Wright: Do you like the revision process?

Fung: I love rewriting...

Wright: Did you originally intend for “The Beekeepers” to be in three parts?

Fung: Yes. I think it ‘fell’ on the page that way - I usually start with fragments of lines and some feel like they belong and others must be separated.

Wright: Do you remember what you started with?

Fung: The fragments? No - they were scribbled literally while standing on a bus - so even if I could find that piece of paper, there’s no way my handwriting is remotely legible.

Wright: I love “The machine / Growls at the thieves.”

Fung: Do you write at specific times?

Wright: I love to write late at night, after midnight, when the city’s quiet more or less. It makes getting up to teach an 8:15 class unpleasant, though.

What about you?

Fung: Completely a night writer myself - mornings are unproductive on all fronts. But I’m getting old and can’t remember fragments/phrases in my head anymore (when something randomly occurs during the day) - I have to write / read everything to remember it.

Wright: Do you find it difficult to write after work?

Fung: Yes my 2008 resolution is to write far, far more regularly. After work you just want to not use your brain or stare at a computer screen!

How about you when you’re teaching and already in the world of academia?

Erica: The one real bonus to being an adjunct is that I have time to write. So I try not to complain. And it’s useful to go back over the basics again and again. When I’m reminding my students not to “try to sound smart,” I’m reminding myself.

More than anything, they’re learning to trust themselves, which I’m still learning, too.

Fung: Yes, you get to think about writing nonstop - such a luxury :)

Wright: Definitely a luxury.

But you’re taking the Wallace Stevens route!

Fung: haha

Wright: You get to save everything!

Fung: Speaking of ‘saving,’ do you save old versions when you rewrite? (I’m assuming you ‘write’ on the computer, where it’s so easy to backspace and forget your original choices.)

Erica : I write on paper first, so I mostly have old drafts. Until I move and throw out everything expendable.

Do you save old drafts? (Isn’t there a journal that features drafts? What a great idea...)

InDigest





		The Following discussion occurred between poets Erica Wright and Tiffany Noelle Fung over Gmail chat Erica Wright: Hi Tiffany. Tiffany Noelle Fung: Hi Erica! You made it :) Wright: Finally. Fung: So I don’t know how ‘literary’ we’re supposed to make this conversation, but the first question I could think of to ask was about ‘poetry pet peeves,’ certain words, or ending linebreaks on certain words, poems in the shape of ducks, etc. Wright: I love that question. Um, line breaks on prepositions...I’ve never seen a poem shaped like a duck! That might be fabulous. Fung: haha - you’re right - these days editors are just glad to get a “well-shaped” poem let alone one of a duck. Wright: I’m wary of love poems in general. There are so many possible traps, but then I’ll read one that really works, and my faith in love poems is restored for a few days. Fung: Well, what struck me about your poems was that they seemed to unabashedly address the subject of love, or longing, and were completely fresh / alive. Wright: I think you have to embarrass yourself a little when writing. Maybe that’s not the best way to put it. The stakes have to be high, whatever that means for you. (I want to get back to your pet poetic peeves at some point!) Fung: Agreed - let it get messy. Wright: Exactly. Fung: Pet peeves: words like “words.” Wright: I like that you used the phrase “well-shaped” to describe poems earlier because your poems are particularly well-shaped. They’re aesthetically pleasing, which is important because it invites the reader. Fung: I’m neurotic about how it appears on the page, and even prefer a landscaped page, since I don’t tend to write super long poems. Wright: “The Pruning” is a good example of that. And the form matches the content. Fung: I was intending, if I may quote a line of yours, “to show restraint” - well I attempted... Wright: It definitely works. And it makes the ending more believable. “Tonight I want no manners.” Fung: Writing in first person is also, to me, more difficult. Wright: Why do you think that is? Fung: You are more brave. It’s dramatic - makes me, as a reader, feel voyeuristic Wright: That makes sense. And the confessionalist poets did it so well (Robert Lowell, for example)...which is both inspiring and intimidating. Do you often write about art? (“The Beekeepers”) Fung: I haven’t in a while; I had come across that drawing while working at a doctor’s office; someone must have left it [a book on Brueghel] after visiting the MET’s exhibition on Brueghel. Wright: Those masks are terrifying. Fung: It’s so disconcerting What do you find that prompts you to write? Were there any specific ‘prompts’ for these 3 poems [“On Having Forgotten the Exact Shape of Your Mouth”, “Woolgathering,” and “Industry”]? Wright: Sometimes other texts. Lately I’ve been flipping through Greek tragedies, which I read as an ungrad. So The Bacchus comes in at the end of “Industry.” But in general finding prompts is difficult for me. And I get a little paranoid about not finding something. Fung: I completely agree - without deadlines (from the workshop environment), it’s harder for me to write. Wright: Yeah, I love deadlines. Fung: Or if I do write, I spend all my time second-guessing myself and rewriting it. Wright: Do you like the revision process? Fung: I love rewriting... Wright: Did you originally intend for “The Beekeepers” to be in three parts? Fung: Yes. I think it ‘fell’ on the page that way - I usually start with fragments of lines and some feel like they belong and others must be separated. Wright: Do you remember what you started with? Fung: The fragments? No - they were scribbled literally while standing on a bus - so even if I could find that piece of paper, there’s no way my handwriting is remotely legible. Wright: I love “The machine / Growls at the thieves.” Fung: Do you write at specific times? Wright: I love to write late at night, after midnight, when the city’s quiet more or less. It makes getting up to teach an 8:15 class unpleasant, though. What about you? Fung: Completely a night writer myself - mornings are unproductive on all fronts. But I’m getting old and can’t remember fragments/phrases in my head anymore (when something randomly occurs during the day) - I have to write / read everything to remember it. Wright: Do you find it difficult to write after work? Fung: Yes my 2008 resolution is to write far, far more regularly. After work you just want to not use your brain or stare at a computer screen! How about you when you’re teaching and already in the world of academia? Erica: The one real bonus to being an adjunct is that I have time to write. So I try not to complain. And it’s useful to go back over the basics again and again. When I’m reminding my students not to “try to sound smart,” I’m reminding myself. More than anything, they’re learning to trust themselves, which I’m still learning, too. Fung: Yes, you get to think about writing nonstop - such a luxury :) Wright: Definitely a luxury. But you’re taking the Wallace Stevens route! Fung: haha Wright: You get to save everything! Fung: Speaking of ‘saving,’ do you save old versions when you rewrite? (I’m assuming you ‘write’ on the computer, where it’s so easy to backspace and forget your original choices.) Erica : I write on paper first, so I mostly have old drafts. Until I move and throw out everything expendable. Do you save old drafts? (Isn’t there a journal that features drafts? What a great idea...)

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