Interview Summary

The 20-year-old participant chose to talk about two poems they wrote called “When you are 17” and “Sisters”. “When you are 17”, is a coming-of-age story and “Sisters” is a poem close to their heart as it is about the passing of their sister. They believe poetry is a way of bringing out hidden emotions that they create in the moment and never edit again. For them, poetry is a good coping mechanism in which they can self-reflect and validate that their feelings are real. During the creation process, writing the poem is a low point because of all the emotions they have to face, while finishing it is a high point as they realize they just created a work of art.
 
“When I was 17” was created during their junior year of high school because they wanted to feel understood while also accepting the reality of getting older. From its creation, the artist learned that they don’t like change and, but that change is necessary.
 
“Sisters” was created when getting ready to go to their sister’s funeral as a celebration of life and the acknowledgement of grief. When it was read at the funeral, unintentionally, because of the vulnerability with which it was written, the poem impacted and brought comfort to many people.
 
By writing the poems, the artist realized that being sad is okay and became more at peace with the idea of being vulnerable. Similarly, they also realized that when someone you care about passes away, that they will always be there with you. 


Interview Transcript

Introduction
Interviewer: Okay. So, you mentioned that you've already selected your work so could you tell me what it is?

PARTICIPANT: It's 2 poems from a poetry compilation that I've been writing for about like 5-6 years now. It has about, it's 2 out of like the 48 that I've written. Some are about books. Some are just about my life, just different emotions that I've been feeling, and it's been a great output, and a way to make art at the same time.
Interviewer: Oh, great. Thank you.
 
What are the important details?
Interviewer: And then. You’ve already shared it, so could you describe these poems for me? So, what are some of the important details?

PARTICIPANT: So, for the first poem “When You're 17,” it’s basically kind of a coming-of-age type story that's going on in here. Just talking about, like there's one line that says, “and the future your 9-year-old self-envisioned, couldn't stay.” It's kind of just that line is like, okay, so I broke kind of that glass where I had all these dreams as a kid, and then, kind of as you're growing up, you realize the reality of kind of starting to go through adulthood. And, you know, another thing going in this poem is just kind of like enveloping that idea of like growing pains and like, sometimes you are going through heart breaks, and you're like losing friends, and you feel like your heart's just like taking all of this beating, and you're just kind of like thinking. “Oh, my gosh! This is so overwhelming! This is this and that,” and this is kind of what that poem is about.
 
Why did you choose this piece? (Specialness)
Interviewer: And then, why did you choose to talk about these poems for this study?

PARTICIPANT: These poems, specifically, are ones that are newer and that are very like emotionally charged. So there. The second one is the most recent, and it's basically encompassing like grief, if you lost a family member. That one was just like really close to my heart, so I wanted to share that one. A lot of people told me like, oh, you know, like “this one I felt resonance with,” and this and that. So, I just picked the 2 that maybe a lot of people could feel connection to, just as I have.

Meaningfulness

What about this piece is meaningful or distinguishing when compared to others?

Interviewer: And then, is there something about poetry that's meaningful or distinguishing for you compared to other art forms?
 
PARTICIPANT: Oh. I think poetry gives a huge depth to words that sometimes, you know, when you're talking to a person a regular conversation, you don't get some of those hidden emotions, and I think poetry can bring out some of those underlying tones out and dig deeper into a person's like psyche and what they're thinking instead of just the words that they're saying.
Interviewer: Great.
 
Process of Creation

What led up to the creation? What motivated you to create them?

Interviewer: Thank you. Now, please tell me a little bit about the experience and process of creating these poems. So, what led up to their creation? What motivated you to create them?

PARTICIPANT: All of my poems are very like in the moment. So right when I'm going through that experience, I sit down and I write it in one sitting, and then it's done, and I don't ever touch it again. So, sometimes there will be days like years where I won't write a poem at all, and then there will be times where it's like one right after the other, because they're based off of those exact moments and what I'm feeling at that time.

Was there something that was intended to be expressed through this piece?

Interviewer: And then, do you think that there were things that wanted or needed to be expressed through these poems?

PARTICIPANT: Yes, I think it's a great coping mechanism. I think it's a great way to do self-reflection, and to also give yourself that validation like that your feelings are real, and that they matter. And that's a way to voice them if you feel like you can't physically say them out loud. I know, like I have anxiety, and other people have anxiety, and so just having those different forms of art, like some try to speak through song lyrics, which I think are another form of poetry or music, dance. And I think this is just a way where you can really like express how you're feeling without having to deal with anxiety of like physically saying it.
Interviewer: Great.
 
When/Where did the creation of this piece happen? Was anyone else involved?

Interviewer: And then, can you talk a little bit about when and where the work happened on these poems? And if anybody else was involved besides you.

PARTICIPANT: So, for the first one “When You're 17,” I believe this was my junior year of high school, and I was sitting in my bedroom, crying, and writing this, and just getting all of my feelings out. And then, “Sisters,” was written last May. I was on my couch in the living room, and we were preparing for my sister's funeral.
 
Interviewer: Yeah, I'm sorry to hear that. Thank you for sharing.
 
What were you thinking and feeling at different times throughout the process of creating this artwork?

Interviewer: Could you talk a little bit about what you were thinking and feeling at different times throughout the process of creating these poems.

PARTICIPANT: For “When You're 17,” I think what I was feeling was just wanting to be understood. But at the same time grasping like, okay, we're adulting, you know, like this is the, this is the time where you're like getting to figure out, “Okay, what do I, what I really want to do in my future?” You know, you have expectations when you're younger and you're like, “Oh, my Gosh! I want to do this. I want to do that,” and then you hit that moment, and you're like, “Oh, okay, well, that's not what I can actually do. But this is what I. This is what I can do.” And then, for “Sisters,” it was more just like celebrating life and acknowledging grief.
 
Can you describe any high points, low points or challenges, or turning points along the way?

Interviewer: Could you talk about any high points, low points or challenges, or turning points in the process of creating these poems.

PARTICIPANT: I think low point is just like writing it, because there's so many emotions. And then, high point is just being like “Wow!” You know. “I finished it. I got my words down, and it's here, and it's in a form of art.”
 
Let’s talk about the impact of the artwork on you and your life.

What did you learn from the process of interacting with the artwork? Did you learn anything about yourself?

Interviewer: And then, let's talk a little bit about the impact of these poems on yourself and others. So, what did you learn from the process of creating these poems? Did you learn anything about yourself?

PARTICIPANT: I think, for “17,” I realized that, you know, I really do not like change, but it's necessary sometimes. I didn't really share "When You're 17” with other people, so it didn't really impact anybody else but myself. “Sisters,” however, was not read by me, but, sorry.

Interviewer: That's all right.

PARTICIPANT: was read at my sister's funeral, and it did have a lot of impact on the people that were there. A lot of people are like oh, you know “you should like publish this and do that,” and I think it gave people like a lot of comfort, and also another way that like this just kind of gave people like oh, you know, a grief in another form that they couldn't express before, but when they heard it they were like, “Oh, you know, yeah, that's like how I felt, too, when I lost someone.” So, that was like, really nice to hear from other people.

Interviewer: Yeah. That's nice. Thank you.
 
Did you intend for your work to affect others or the world in particular ways?

Interviewer: And you talked about how others received that poem. Did you intend for that poem to affect others or the world in any particular ways?

PARTICIPANT: Not like directly. I didn't like write it and be like this is going to change lives. But I'm glad that it did. You know, someday, someday more people will see it. But yeah.
 
Did your experience with the artwork affect your understanding of others or “the world?”

Interviewer: And then, did your experience affect your own understanding of other people or of the world?

PARTICIPANT: It definitely changed my view a little bit about sharing my poems, because they’re always so like personal to me, and I was always, I always said like all these poems, and I was like well, you know, I could make a book, but I wouldn't want people to necessarily know my connection behind it. And I just kind of like, showed that, you know, sometimes when you are vulnerable, it brings people together, and have a more positive impact on something that wasn't so positive, and that gives hope. So, that was something like oh, maybe you know, someday I could share this gift to other people when I'm ready, and not be so scared of criticism.

Interviewer: Thank you.
 
When people think about themselves, they see part of themselves as deeply true, real, or authentic.

If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about your true nature during the process of interacting with the artwork? Did you have any insights into your own authentic (or inauthentic) self?

Interviewer: So, this next drop is a little bit longer. When some people think about themselves. They see some parts of themselves as deeply true, real, or authentic. If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about your true nature during the process of creating these poems? Did you have any insights into your own authentic or inauthentic self?

PARTICIPANT: Hmm. I think what I realized the most when I do poems is that I internalize a lot of things that I don't vocalize. And, I always felt that, you know, when you're out in the world, and you meet people, you have one persona, and like one face, and then, you have another face behind closed doors. And I think that my poems that I write are the other face that people don't necessarily see behind closed doors. And also realize that having, you know, being sad, is not necessarily always a bad thing, that it can be beautiful, too. And, showing that with other people can maybe make people realize that emotions are not necessarily wrong to show. And I think throughout my years I have come more at peace with being vulnerable, and not always having to show a less authentic version of myself, because I'm scared to be vulnerable.

Interviewer: Thank you.
 
Some people believe in ultimate meaning. This is defined as deep, underlying meaning that transcends subjective personal meaning. It is about the nature of existence and identity, and it may include ideas about the significance of suffering as well as spirituality.

If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about ultimate meaning during the process of interacting with the artwork?

Interviewer: And then so some people also believe in ultimate meaning. This is defined as deep underlying meaning that transcends subjective personal meaning. It is about the nature of existence and identity, and it may include ideas about the significance of suffering as well as spirituality. If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about ultimate meaning during the process of creating these poems?

PARTICIPANT: Ultimate meaning? Hmm. I think, for “Sisters,” I think I realized that with life, you never know how much time you're going to have. And I think the poem just kind of brings in the fact that the people in your life never really go away, and that there is always going to be a hole there, and that's just going to not really ever go away. I think some people say, “oh, you know, time heals all wounds.” And I think this poem kind of just shows that ultimate meaning that sometimes it doesn't. And that's okay because then that hole just shows, like the person that was there before. And kind of a way to take that hole and not make it something negative, but say like that they're there, and that they're never going to be forgotten. And I think it just shows how much value there is in a person's life, and it's never insignificant. There's always someone that's going to be woven, and in a way that it affects someone.

Interviewer: All right. Thank you.
 
Some people believe or perceive a reality beyond the physical or material world. This may include religious beliefs/experiences (such as perceived interactions with God) but also may include mystical or transcendent experiences, or interaction with spirits.

Did you have any kind of these experiences during the creation of the artwork?

Interviewer: This prompt is also a little bit longer. Some people believe or perceive a reality beyond the physical or material world. This may include religious beliefs and experiences such as perceived interactions with God but may also include mystical or transcendent experiences or interaction with spirits. Did you have any of these kinds of experiences during the creation of these poems?

PARTICIPANT: No, not really. I am religious, I am Christian. However, that really wasn't a focal point or something that I had in mind when writing these. Yeah.

Interviewer: Sure. So yeah, even if you didn't have an experience like that, you might have some felt some sort of inspiration or guidance or encouragement from the non-physical or supernatural, or a sense of presence or connection. Did you have any of those kinds of experiences during the creation of these poems?

PARTICIPANT: No, it was more just what was going on inside myself.
Interviewer: Okay, sure. Thank you. I just have a few quicker follow ups. You may have said this already, and at least you know, for one of the poems.
 
How old were you when you first created these pieces?

Interviewer: So how old were you when you created these poems?

PARTICIPANT: The first one was when I was 17 and “Sisters” was, I wrote it when I was 19. I'm 20 now.
 
How do you perceive the quality of the work?

Interviewer: And then, I don't know if you've thought about this, but how do you perceive the quality of these poems?

PARTICIPANT: I perceive these as my higher quality poems, which is another reason why I chose them. Some of them that I have in my book are very, very early on, like middle school. Which, some of them I don't like, they're like, okay. But, these ones, I think, with my maturity, and how I've grown as a writer. I think these are, I pick these because these are some of my best and also the most emotionally connected.

Interviewer: Thank you. Yeah, thanks so much for the interview.
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PARTICIPANT: Yeah. Thank you.