W
|
elcome Leo Briones from Los
Angeles, California, USA.
A creator
of profound imagery and explosive emotions, his poems are appreciated by
eminent poets and poetry lovers around the world. Leo describes his debut book The
Poet Remains as ‘Transcendental Revivalism or a poetic rebellion
against the angst, cynicism, and intellectualism of much of modern poetry’. A
poetic genius, I admire his rhythmic style and powerful message.
A Love Song of Earth
What if I gave to you
the silver sun that rises inside of me
and every day closed the eyes of my heart
like a meditation that flies across
the bursting galaxies of time
and when I reached that place
where lovers are no longer afraid to grab
the molten lava of endlessness
toss it back and forth among each other
and finally eye-to-eye, lips-to-lips, thigh-to-thigh
make love in the steam of earth?
And what if I sang a song to you,
a song of the soil and the simple dew of dawn,
that meant something like—
we are children no more
yet neither are we old?
the silver sun that rises inside of me
and every day closed the eyes of my heart
like a meditation that flies across
the bursting galaxies of time
and when I reached that place
where lovers are no longer afraid to grab
the molten lava of endlessness
toss it back and forth among each other
and finally eye-to-eye, lips-to-lips, thigh-to-thigh
make love in the steam of earth?
And what if I sang a song to you,
a song of the soil and the simple dew of dawn,
that meant something like—
we are children no more
yet neither are we old?
© Leo Briones 2011
Do you remember the
first poem you wrote?
I was
around 14-15 and wrote a political poem about U.S. intervention in El Salvador.
Sort of a poor man Bullet in the Blue Sky
by U2.
Name a classic poet that
has inspired you…
This is
subject to my own interpretation, so I would have to say Rumi and Emily
Dickenson. I am not sure folks would consider either Rumi or Dickenson as
classical poets but I do. Rumi seems to me a poet that represents the deepest
tradition of the spoken word, which is the use of words and images to express
abstract ideas such as love, fear, beauty, death, eternal life, etc. And
Dickinson I think in many ways ends the era of classic poets. Her mastery of
images, concise form and language is superior, amazing, and perhaps there is no
equal in the English language.
Do you have a favorite
modern day poet?
There are
many, but several stand out. Robinson Jeffers. His early poetry such as Shine Perishing Republic, Hurt Hawks, and The Eye are powerful in imagery and intent. He was a protest poet
and paid the price. I think Robert Penn Warren’s A way to Love God is powerful, masterfully written and asks
important questions about the human condition. I find Czeslaw Milosz’s very
unique and powerful. There is a certain eastern European sensibility that I can
relate to, that falls somewhere between fatalism and unbridled hope. My good
friend Tina Collins really evoked a great Southern voice in her poetry. She has
not written in many years but I personally really miss her poetry. Perhaps one
day others will appreciate her work as much as myself. It makes me wonder how
many powerful poets that are unknown.
What is your favorite
type of poem?
Write
from the heart. Don’t force rhymes or structure. I suppose that answers the
questions, yes?
(Yes, my sentiments exactly)
Do you write poetry for
yourself, or for others, or for both?
For the
universe. For time. For anyone who’s willing to read them.
Do you write a specific
genre of poetry, or do you delve into all genres?
It feels
a bit self-indulgent to interpret my work as such, but here I go anyway. I think
I have at least three distinct styles that are mostly dictated by content and
intent. Although my poems are all free verse I do have a idea that I write with
a sort of modern spin on Gerard Manley Hopkins spring verse in mind. By that I
mean that rhythm and sound transitions are important to me.
Where do you like to
write?
When I
can, wherever it is.
How do maintain thoughts
and ideas?
I usually
have a thought, or an image comes to me, and I try to get to my computer as
soon as possible.
What are you currently
writing?
I have
not published a book since 2006. That date seems like yesterday, but I am
currently compiling three different books of poetry. The first to be called Postcards
from the Apocalypse, and will
be a compilation of mostly political/Beat poems, meditations, and a few love
poems.
The
second is a book I will call Beyond Blue and is a compilation of
poems I wrote about my best friend Quentin Drew and deal with his battle to
remain an effective community organizer as he was dying from kidney cancer.
The third
is another eclectic compilation I will call The Time Traveler.
Do you think poetry has
an impact on modern society?
I think
modern poetry suffers from the same infirmity in which modern journalism
suffers. That is finding its place in the world of multimedia communication. In
some ways, this dilemma has perhaps dumbed down what people see as good poetry.
However, I am hopeful that the big picture will lead us to a day that great
poets are discovered by ordinary people on websites and blogs and they do not
have to consider the validation of academics who mostly like poetry that sounds
like theirs or has a parallel philosophical point of view.
How would you explain
writing poetry to a novice?
Tell me
of the eternal truths - love, suffering, sacrifice, sadness, joy - by showing
us those truths through the images of your life.
Follow Leo…
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