Every person has had a special moment when their soul leaps up and shouts for joy. Every heart has felt the agony of suffering and pain. And every one of us has our own unique perspective on life as it happens. These are the universal ingredients of poetry.  

In education, there are the mechanical studies—math, science, and physical education. Then there are the thinking studies—history, language, philosophy, and English. And finally, there are the feeling studies—art, dance, music, and poetry. All of these combine to make a complete person, reaching the body, mind, and soul. 

However, poetry in particular seems to be a neglected study as it contains language, but does not necessarily compute as a “thinking” study but rather a “feeling” study. In a way, it can feel like using math symbols to tell a story—rudimentary and frustrating. 

The mechanical and thinking studies of the world are easier to understand since they attempt to measure and observe  the knowable world. For this reason, thinking personality types will always be drawn towards these studies, as feelers will be drawn towards the arts. Neither is better than the other, and each person must have an appropriate balance between both thinking and feeling in order to become fully functional.

We can think of life like a bike. The thinking studies can teach you what a bike is made of. But they can’t tell you what a bike means. Art, particularly poetry, invites us to get on the bike, have an experience, the. attempt to explain its significance. Poetry taps into the meaning of life and the essence of moments and feelings. 

Poetry is not necessarily something “all new” or “novel.” The best poems are always resonate with the greater human experience. However, they slow us down over moments or ideas we might skip over if we are overly-preoccupied with the mechanical world. 

Good poetry does not involve wallowing in personal emotions or griefs, but rather attempts to sync these emotions with the greater human experience, putting them into perspective. 

The heartbreak experienced by the death of a loved one, divorce, or illness is universal, therefore good poetry will unite a suffering soul to the greater knowledge of suffering and attempt to give that suffering perspective and meaning. For Christians, suffering is a byproduct of the fall of man—our willful disobedience to God has created a gaping wound in the universe which we are forever falling into. 

Well-being, peace, and joy are also universal, therefore poetry can unite a rejoicing soul to the greater knowledge of joy. For Christians, joy is found when Christ is in every arena of our lives—binding up our wounds, saving us from sin and death, and training our hearts towards God. Joy is not bound to physical circumstances, but rather to the penultimate reality of God. 

This is why I believe poetry is so prevalent in the Bible. God rests at the heart of all things—mechanics, thoughts, and feelings all stem from the reality of God’s existence. To be parted from Him is suffering, to be united to Him is joy. He is all that cannot be explained, and yet must be communicated—therefore, poetry exists.

The human experience is a lonely thing since we have language but often cannot communicate what we really mean to one another. Trapped in our own bodies, minds, and souls, we are limited in our communication. God is truly the only being who knows us intimately, and much of our human suffering is due to the fact that we can be known by Him, but we cannot know Him as deeply as we wish. 

Poetry seeks to push the boundaries between man and God and man to man. God speaks to us in poetry, a language beyond language to reach our spirits. When we speak back to Him in poetry and to one another in poetry, we are touching on a reality that is beyond us, as though pushing through a dream that doesn’t quite make sense, attempting to wake up.

Poetry is often overlooked in the modern world, not perhaps because we do not have time, but because poetry defies the rush and busyness that has become a staple of society. We don't linger and we don't repeat, we simply move on to the next thing. 

But poetry demands that, for a few moments, we sit still. For that reason, I am always keeping my eye out for poets who are currently carving memories out of moments. 

A Little About Christine 

Interview

What drew you towards writing/art? 

My older sister died when I was 11 years old. She was 20. It was sudden and left a crater in my life. I wrote to process that grief and other aspects of my life. (My book of poetry, KEEPING THEM ALIVE, grapples with this subject, too.) After a while, it became a practice others expected me to do, and I began to expect it from myself. But that took years. 

How do you find inspiration or topics for your genre of writing/art? 

I’m drawn to certain overarching themes, like epistemology (what do we know, how do we know, and when do we know) and loss, but I wrestle with them through art, nature, and family relationships. In other words, sensory details from my daily life help me express more philosophical thoughts.  

What was your first or favorite childhood memory? 

Wow. That’s a tough one. I have a lot of impressions of my grandparents’ homes--scents, sounds, etc. Most of my fuller memories start in kindergarten, which seems late. 

What is a small joy you celebrate often? 

My sons’ learning new things. My older son has a rare form of epilepsy that tamped down his learning for nearly a decade. For years he was unable to fully use or understand language. (I tackle this strand of my life in my book Bluewords Greening.) Now that the seizures have waned, he’s learning how to have conversations, how to read, how to take better care of himself, how to cook, how to tell jokes, etc. My younger son, nine years younger than his brother, simply soaks information in, which astonishes me. What brings me the greatest joy is how they love and help each other. 

What has been an inspiring piece of art or media you’ve enjoyed lately? 

I recently bought a piece of art from Susan M. Heggestad, a mixed media artist from Vermillion, South Dakota. I love the way she uses textiles for texture in her work. I regularly practice ekphrasis, and I have an ongoing collaboration with British artist Pauline Aitken. I have ekphrastic poetry in Bluewords Greening as well as its “twin” book, Untrussed. 

What is a fun or interesting experience you’ve appreciated? (either personally or professionally) 

During the pandemic, I started giving a lot of Zoom workshops and readings. Of course, I prefer face-to-face interactions, but I was shocked about how many more folks could participate online. I live in a rural state, and I know how a newfound appreciation for the way technology can help us connect with each other. 

What is your go-to comfort food, TV show, and book?

I really like homemade pizza. I don’t watch a lot of TV, and I don’t often read the same book more than once unless it’s work or writing-related.

What do you feel is the most significant achievement you’ve made thus far? (Personally or professionally) 

Professionally, I’m very proud of my education (I hold a Ph.D.) and my published work because I didn’t know anyone who had gone to graduate school or published books when I was growing up. My parents are responsible for pushing me toward college; they hoped I could have more choices than they did since they didn’t have college degrees. I’m proud of my tenacity in terms of keeping up my writing practice and sending work out into the world. I know a lot of good writers who have negotiated this path differently.  Personally, I’m proud of my family. Parenting is super hard work--the hardest work I’ve experienced. And my kids and marriage are thriving right now, so…. So far, so good.

If you could give the younger generation one piece of advice, what would that be?

Own your strengths and yet stay humble. It took me years before I really began to believe in myself and have a strong, confident sense of self. Of course, that doesn’t mean one should be ruled by ego, just that it’s okay to let yourself shine.

When did something unexpected but good happen to you? 

Wow. I have so many answers to this. I try to stay open to serendipity; it’s an important part of living a creative life. In the summer of 1996, soon after I graduated with my undergraduate degree, I got an invitation to interview for a job teaching in Turkey. Despite my plans already in place for graduate school, I said yes to the interview, got the job, and six weeks later I was on a plane to Istanbul.

What was the last song you listened to? 

Michael Jackson’s Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground). It was the last one on my family’s bike ride playlist yesterday. 

To purchase a copy of Christine's latest book of poems, The Poet & the Architect, visit her lovely site at

https://www.christinestewartnunez.com/#/the-poet-the-architect/

Thank you so much to Christine for taking the time to answer my questions!

Ashley 

If you or another artist you know would like to be interviewed, drop me a note at aafouchwrites@gmail.com

And silence fills 

the deep. 

I cannot see 

the sky

Or smiles passing

by. 

I ache to simply 

Move, 

And come nearer

To you. 

But in this cage 

I stay,

Tired of the 

Same. 

I remember 

Trees

The rustling of the 

Leaves. 

I remember

Water--

When I was 

Summer’s daughter. 

Now I hear your 

Voice,

Saying there is

A choice:

To stay within 

my earth, 

Or rise up from 

The dirt. 

I didn’t 

understand

When you removed 

Your hand,

That you had 

buried me

Because I am

A seed.