Question: Tell us about yourself, and how you began writing poetry.

Answer: Professionally, I’ve been freelance writing for 5+ years. I write in a variety of genres including non-fiction (social commentary, opinion, personal essays), poetry and greeting card verse. But I’ve been writing all of my life and poetry has been a strong part of that. I still have poems stashed away that I wrote when I was 11 or 12 years old. Writing has always been for me, like many, an outlet for creativity. It has allowed me create my own world of expression that I can choose to share with others or keep locked away for myself. After finishing university, it made sense for me to turn my love of words into my daily work.

Question: Besides writing poetry, you are also an editor and columnist. How does poetry fit into all of that? Do you find it hard to switch between different writing techniques and styles?

Answer: Well, I have not been doing too much editing lately (although I enjoy that line of work) but I do have a monthly column, so to speak, on my website (www.nettiebozanich.com). Poetry has its special & unique spot amongst the other genres that I write in. For me, poetry is using language in a entirely different way and it allows me to mould words in unconventional and unrestrained ways. Writing poems provides balance in the scheme of my writing. I do not usually find it difficult to switch between writing styles because I try not to force the transition. If poetry is not working for me one day, I will leave it and come back to it the next day.

Question: In Breakfast Again, you discuss the routine features of life. How often does the every day factor into your poetry?

Answer: Often the everyday aspects of life dominate my work. Writing about routines, traditions and habits helps me to see them differently and to ultimately examine myself, my life & our society more closely. Sometimes my poetry becomes a way of cataloguing the everyday. It helps me to remember to live in a state of gratefulness.

Question: The stuff and what it means takes a look at the ordinary and gives a glimpse into thoughts not usually said aloud. Is that a common theme in your poems?

Answer: Poetry, for me, is often just that – saying what we usually don’t say. Sometimes when I write, it is about me attempting to describe that which seems indescribable to me. It is about me grappling with the ordinary in the context of our extraordinary lives. Bringing words to the ordinary is about reminding each other that we are not alone and that our experiences are things we can share & grow from.

Question: Becoming is a tender look at a father/daughter relationship. How autobiographical is your poetry? Do you feel your work reflects your personal growth as a writer?

Answer: Often, my poetry begins with a moment of autobiography and then spirals in other directions. Sometimes the work is entirely autobiographical. My poetry attempts to grasp a moment, a feeling, an experience that may be fleeting or one that needs to be drudged through. Sometimes I will read a poem that I wrote months or years ago and I will think to myself: “I can’t believe that I felt that way!” Other times, a five year old poem speaks to me as if I wrote it five minutes ago. So, in some ways, my poetry is a diary, a catalogue of my experiences & my interpretation of the experiences of those around me. Of course, there are poems that are made of ideas and feelings that I have not experienced but writing about them is an exercise in empathy. I am trying to learn as best as I can how it is to be like someone else. It is my hope that my work reflects my personal & professional growth. Sometimes I can get stuck in the formulas of how I write but then I step away from poetry for awhile and refocus myself on the goal of pushing past the usual and always trying to find fresh angles & perspectives.

Question: Who are your favourite poets?

Answer: In university I was inundated with a lot of classics that I was required to read. Having my interpretation and experiences with those texts being graded definitely tainted me from fully enjoying them now. I find that some of the best modern poets are lyricists. One my favourites is Gordon Downie from The Tragically Hip. He plays with words and expands their meanings in ways that delight me. And there are The Beatles. Their lyrics were probably my first exposure to words presented in a more poetic format. Their words are like an internal soundtrack to me.

Question: What are your influences?

Answer: Music is a definite influence. My relationships – past and present – provide a backdrop for much of my work. And the objects around me influence me. For example, there is massive old tree outside my office window. Somehow it is always the same yet always changing. That brings me to me another of my influences: opposites. I am intrigued with the idea of opposites pulling at one another and existing at the same time in the same space. And there is the idea of renewal. I find that it infuses so much of what I write – poetry and otherwise. The possibility of beginning again influences and inspires my work. It is the hope that I take into everything I do. I am influenced by my faith and by God’s presence in every moment, everywhere and in everyone. My relationship with God serves as foundation on which I build my writing career and all aspects of my life.

Question: Your thoughts on internet publishing as opposed to print?

Answer: Nothing beats words printed on a page bound in a book but the immediacy of the Internet is certainly tantalizing. The Internet is so much more accessible. But I think it is eating away at the beauty of words written on a page.

Question: What are your goals? What can we expect from Nettie Bozanich in the future?

Answer: I try not to pin down too many goals because I don’t know where my work will take me. I know that I want my work to continue to push in new directions. I love working in the greeting card industry and I hope that outside interest in my work in that area continues to grow. One of my main focuses is to create work that encourages hope, kindness and empathy. Each day, that is the goal I seek to meet.

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