Below is an interview with the incredibly talented winner of our National Poetry Day Competition:
The Random Section
1.What’s your name?
Evie Groch
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2.What’s your favourite colour?
Green
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3.What’s your favourite animal?
Elephant
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4.What’s your favourite food?
Dark chocolate and figs
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5.What kind of hobbies do you like?
Writing, painting, cooking, traveling
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6.What’s your favourite time of year?
Spring
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7.Do you prefer tea, coffee or none?
Café mocha
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8.What’s your lucky number?
6
The Writing Section
9.What would you say poetry is?
Poetry is the capturing of a feeling and dressing it in revealing words.
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10.How long have you been writing poetry?
Since I retired, about 13 years ago.
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11.What inspired your winning poem?
Observations of the world both globally and locally.
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12.How do you normally find inspiration?
Everywhere around me, from a sentence overheard in line at the market to a new word I learned, to reading the paper.
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13.Do you know the title of your poem before you write it, or do you write it and then create your title?
No, but I always have a working title to keep me focused.
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14.Do you write your poems with pen and paper or on a device?
I first write with pen and paper before I word process. It stimulates my creativity.
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15.Who’s your favourite author?
Ursula K. LeGuin
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16.Who’s your favourite poet?
Antonio Machado
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17.What’s your favourite book?
The Left Hand of Darkness
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18.What’s your favourite poem?
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
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19.How do you go about writing a poem?
From the ending on up and then down again. When I’m done, I add polish and garnish.
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20.Why do you like poetry?
It’s a no-holes-barred invitation to tell your truth.
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21.Do you have any advice for aspiring poets?
Read, write, repeat.