Kathryn MacDonald’s poems have appeared in literary journals in Canada, the U.S., Ireland, and England, as well as in various anthologies. Her poem “Duty / Deon” won Arc Award of Awesomeness (January 2021). “Seduction” was entered in the Freefall Annual Poetry Contest edited by Gary Barwin and was published in Freefall (Fall 2020). She is the author of Far Side of the Shadow Moon: Enchantments, A Breeze You Whisper (poems) and Calla & Édourd (fiction) https://kathrynmacdonald.com
You can read Corvidae & Yellow: Of Horses and Flowers in the July 2024 issue
Would you like to tell us a little bit more about your poem? For instance, how or why you wrote it, or perhaps provide some extra context?
Links across time interest me, and in both “Corvidae” and “Yellow: Of Horses & Flowers” you can see this. Themes of yearning and searching for something / someone find their way into these poems, an elusive desire for what is lost, what cannot be found.
If you didn’t write poetry, how do you think you might access the same fulfillments that poetry offers in your life?
I cannot imagine life without poetry. It satisfies all the senses, opens layers of understanding about relationships, experiences, and just the everyday of living in the world. Poetry expresses both the minutiae and the breadth of life, the personal and the universal. Poetry is what I read and what I try to write.
How do you revise your work?
Cut. Cut. Cut. My first drafts drown in too many words but I let them flow. During the revision process I cut and tighten images and allusions, seeking a layered but clear poem that (I hope) invites readers into the scene and situation at the heart of the writing.
How or where or with what does a poem begin?
My poems usually begin with an emotion, closely followed by an image.
Are there other art forms that inspire or inform your poetry?
Music, paintings, and the poetry of others often find themselves in my writing, sometimes directly, sometimes as allusion, often as metaphor.
How do you make space for poetry in your daily routine?
I am fortunate to be able to write each morning.
What are you reading or watching or listening to lately that intrigues or inspires you?
Currently, I’m preparing for a trip to Newfoundland and am re-reading Passengers by Michael Crummey (House of Anansi Press, 2022). Not only am I gaining insight into place, but also, I’m fascinated by the way Crummey interprets Tranströmer. The poems feel vital.
Do you belong to a writer’s group? If not, where do you find poetry community and feedback?
I belong to two writers’ groups that are essential for my work – both in terms of the feedback received and the critical reading that’s required to provide helpful comments to my colleagues. Writing is not a completive sport; we celebrate each other’s poetry successes. They are an essential community.