Valerie Wallace : part five

What other poetry books have you been reading lately?

I’ve been listening to poetry podcasts lately. I'm a big fan of PoemTalk from Penn Sound. My go-to right now is The Poetry Exchange, which approaches the conversation as thinking about particular poems as friends. I think that’s perfect.

Valerie Wallace : part four

How important is music to your poetry?

I want each of my poems to have the music they need to advance their meaning and emotion, and to be a pleasure to the ear. From a young age through my early twenties, I played piano and cello, and creating music on its own is such a distinct and difficult endeavor that it took me awhile to accept and really understand how poetry only truly works on the page when it can be lively in the ear.

Valerie Wallace : part three

What are you working on?

I’m working on getting back to writing, especially daily writing, which is a challenge for me. This last year I traveled a lot to promote my first book, so it was a very social year. I’m learning to lean into my own words again.

Valerie Wallace : part two

Has your consideration of poetry changed since you began?

Absolutely. When I make a poem now, it’s about the poem and the reader, not about the poem and my own needs. I’m now inexorably attuned to form, thanks to the good work of teachers and reading other poets.

Valerie Wallace : part one

Valerie Wallace is the author of House of McQueen, selected by Vievee Francis for the Four Way Books Intro Prize, and the chapbook The Dictators’ Guide to Good Housekeeping. She lives in Chicago and when she’s not making poems, she’s creating websites.

Photo credit: Marc Monaghan

What do you find most difficult about writing poetry?

Following the courage of my convictions. Crafting the conviction of my courage.