FRANCISCO
SERRANO

Name, pronouns, and zodiac sign?

Ari Imena, my pronouns are she/her and I’m a Taurus.

How are you, how has this isolation influenced your writing?Have you been writing?

I feel like I finally have been able to write and create more actually, just because I don’t have as much pressure on myself. I’ve been more introspective and reflective now that my birthday is coming around too.

When did you write your first poem?

Surprisingly, I wrote my first poem in kindergarten, my teacher at the time wanted us to be very emotive with our emotions. She would have us go outside and just touch dirt, then describe it and describe how it made us feel. I never even thought about it then, but that just really set the foundation in my writing and being so expressive, but the first serious poem that I wrote and performed was at 18. It was called, “Cotton Combed Curls” and it was about me growing into my blackness and just learning to love my features and getting away from the eurocentric image.

Do you write in a specific location? What is your process to write a poem?

For me I just write wherever-- just when I feel intense emotions that's usually when i write my best. For example, I would be at work, and its super quiet and i would be writing really painful stuff. I was typing away because i just needed to get it out. I don’t try to force anything out of me too, I do it for my enjoyment and peace of mind, I don’t set a standard. I don’t wake up in the morning thinking I’m going to write three poems this morning like no whenever it comes or whenever i go through something.

Have you tried to force a poem out? How did that feel compared to your usual process?

Yeah, cause you know your potential. Your writing can be jaw dropping and shake a room, and you want to feel that again. I’ve tried, yeah,  I’ve tried but it doesn't always feel right and i don't get the same kind of fulfillment. It’s like, 'Okay I wrote a poem.' I feel good but it’s nothing I'm proud of.

Has being a poet caused dating problems?

Ooh this question I like because I never thought about it but I think it’s enhanced my life in terms of being more emotionally connected to myself and I think that enhances relationships in general. I think being able to articulate and express yourself more cohesively that would help any relationship. Being with people who are emotionally unintelligent or just immature for the most part, that’s where there was a lot of frustration and confusion because they didn't understand me being able to accurately describe how i feel, that can be overwhelming for people who can reciprocate it. That’s where I’ve had backlash in relationships

Do you think we can make poetry go as mainstream as visual mediums?

I was thinking a lot about this too, I think we can, and I think people have in the past, like that show Def Poetry Jam. Something on that level would be really powerful now. Being in an age of social, where everything is very visually saturated, kind of content driven, people are so fast paced, they just want to put out art that just captures you right then and there but no one wants to slow down and i think poetry forces you to take a step back, read, and, really look inside yourself sometimes. I feel like there may have to be a switch in the culture with people for us to just slow down and not be so fast paced with art and creating. 

Where can your poetry be accessed? 

My soundcloud and on instagram.