Today, we have the honor and privilege of sitting down for virtual coffee with Matthew Gutierrez, author of Notes I Wrote Along The Way. A review of it can be found here.

1. What was the exact moment you decided to begin writing Notes I Wrote Along The Way?
   I had been writing for years before 2019, so I had quite the collection, but in 2019 it dawned upon me that
   I should release them into the world so others may enjoy them and not keep them locked in my computer.

2. One of my favorites from the collection is Universal Control? Can you tell us more about the backstory
   behind the piece?

This poem speaks about the complete control that the universe has over all living things; the universe
maintains complete control, and we are subject to the twist and turns that are thrown our way. I believe
that our existence is part of the universe’s plan and we must all play a part and complete a purpose to that
plan.

3. Besides poetry, what else have you written?
   I have written screenplays, short stories and currently I am working on more poetry and a longer fiction
   piece that will become a novel.

4. Do you plan to write another poetry collection? If so, do you know what the themes may be?
   I am currently working on writing more poetry and editing and rewriting pieces that I already have picked
   out for my next collection. I want the next book to be more personal, more direct about pieces of my life
   and things that have happened in my life. The themes will remain the same as the first collection, I like to
   focus on the universe, a higher power, love, life and death.

5. Who inspires you most in your life?
   I inspire myself… my life inspires me and the people that come In and out of my life inspire me in some
   manner. Life is full or inspiration and sparks ideas to write.

6. Who are some of your favorite poets?
   I would say that I am a fan of Pablo Neruda, John Keats, Langston Hughes, Sylvia Plath, Phillip B.
   Williams, Roger Reeves.

7.What’s your favorite thing about poetry?
I love poetry because you can find the right words for a poem that you cannot seem to discover when
speaking to another human being. I started writing poetry due to the lack of courage I had to say a few
things on my mind. I found it easier to write them as poems instead.

8. What is most misunderstood about poetry in your opinion?

The state of being abstract. I hear often, in my MFA program, that I can be a bit too abstract, and I need to
be more grounded and concrete when writing a poem. While I am working on being more focused on
describing a scene, I do believe that I am that poet and have to stay true to what I do.