1. Why Poetry?

Technically I don’t write poetry, I am certain that it writes me, or forces me to write it. Words are constantly circling my mind, as if they are creating a story and it’s my responsibility to then write them down. It was never my desire to write poetry. Somewhere in my teenage years it just became clear that I was given a skill set in this life, and I decided to take the time to nurture and attempt to improve this ability that was given to me by the universe. Over the years I have studied and educated myself on different forms of writing, which is why I like to call myself a creative writer. I am currently finishing up my MFA in creative writing, poetry and fiction, and have taken courses in film and television writing in the past. But poetry is my first choice and what comes naturally to my mind. Writing poetry helps me deal with my emotions and to better process this life through the act of writing poetry. 

2. Tell us about your most recent collection.

My only published collection to date is entitled: Notes I Wrote Along the Way, which was published back in October 2020. The collection holds 50 poems written in English and Spanish, and focuses on themes such as life, death, purpose, love and letting go. I will say, if I were to do the collection today, I would rework them and restructure the poems to match my current writing style. I think that is a process most writers must deal with, looking back at older work and realizing how you would change some things and edit them to match the growth of your writing style. Currently, I am working on a collection of 75 poems that I started to write while working on my MFA. I am hoping to have them published in the near future. 

3. Give the backstory behind one of your poems

Often, I like to write about painters, poets or writers that I am fond of and in one ekphrastic poem entitled: My Artistic Loneliness, which is based on the painting of Edward Hopper. The poem focuses on the loneliness of the characters painted into each poem, and then connected to my own feelings of loneliness and I am connected to those characters in each painting. 

4.Who are 3 poets you always recommend?

Pablo Neruda, Charles Bukowski, and Joanne Kyger are three I would recommend at the moment. Neruda is a poet that I recommend often, especially if you are looking for love poems. Bukowski is a poet that I am new to, but I love the realness and authenticity of his words and statements he makes in his poetry. Kyger is a poet that I read in a poetry course recently, and I found the structure of her poems to be interesting and unique, and so I have tried to mimic that in some of my poems as of late. I think it’s important to read a wide variety of poetry from different authors, as it will help you with your own writing and to gain inspiration that can be implemented into your poetry. 

5.  I am currently reading….

Currently, I am reading Another Country by James Baldwin. I tend to read more for guidance or wisdom, rather than reading for fun. I am currently working on my MFA thesis which is a fiction novel, so I prefer to read the genre that I am writing in order to gain some insight to writing and expand my knowledge of writing through great books from great writers.

This is an exclusive interview with Matthew Gutierrez to commemorate National Poetry Month. The Smart Cookie Philes is a small business and PR firm dedicated to helping indie authors and musicians espresso themselves.

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