1. When did you first start writing poetry, and what drew you to it?

My vivid memory of writing poems was when I was 16. It was that time when, I believe, I had experienced various emotions for the first time. Sadness for being away from my family as I had to study in a different province; confusion when someone confessed to me; fear and feeling threatened when I had a stalker; hatred towards abusive and manipulative people; and bliss for meeting friends who are still my friends now. That roller coaster of emotions inspired me to express myself through writing poems since I wasn’t a big fan of sharing my thoughts and emotions to others.

2. Was there a particular poem or poet that first made you fall in love with poetry?

If rap song lyrics can be counted as poems, then I would say GLoc9’s songs from his albums Diploma, Talumpati, and Matrikula have made me fall in love with rhyming words.

3. How do you decide when a poem feels “finished”?

A poem feels finished when I am able to finally take deep breaths after writing; it makes me feel like I have already vented the feelings that I need to vent out.

4. How personal is your poetry — do you see it as a form of self-expression or storytelling?

Every word I bled in my poems expresses a portion of me—my thoughts, experiences, emotions, and dreams.

5. Which poets or artists have influenced your voice or style the most?

Although I admire Gloc9’s mastery of word use, I would say that the style and voice of my poetry are authentically mine. Every creative is unique because their art is their representation. My poems are my babies; they take after me.

6. How would you describe your poetic voice to someone who’s never read your work?

My poetic voice resembles a child’s cry, longing for her parents. It’s an eldest daughter’s plea for a desirable outcome of her hardships and struggles towards giving her siblings at least an ideal life.

7. What do you hope readers will experience or take away from your poems?

I want them to take away a piece of me as they read my poems. I want them to relate to me, so I can establish a connection through my personal experiences and struggles. I’m not saying that I want them to be despondent like how I usually feel. I just know that somewhere out there, some readers will be emotionally drawn to my piece, especially those who are in my shoes because we are in the same boat.