Interview with Poet Lauren White (First Contact)

Matthew Toffolo: What is the theme of your poem?

Lauren White: The theme was initially love, loss, and heartbreak. Towards the end, it turned into hope.

2) What motivated you to write this poem?

I wrote this about the last man that I dated. He had a huge impact on me in a short amount of time. Most of the lines in the poem have some ring of truth, including the nicknames and the Star Trek First Contact Day reference, which is the day we started talking to each other. It was a whirlwind that ended abruptly. I had a lot of thoughts and emotions afterwards that I have been processing through poetry. This was the second of several poems about him.

3) How long have you been writing poetry?

I’m actually not sure how long I have been writing. I believe that i’ve probably always written on scraps of paper here and there. The earliest poems that I can remember are those from high school. I was in high school the first time I won a poetry contest. I also participated in a literary magazine. I had been writing off and on since then, but am currently trying to write each day, as I find the process therapeutic.

4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?

My maternal grandmother. She died when I was about two months old, so I never got the chance to know her. I hear a lot about her big heart and kind personality from my family. I like to believe she would motivate me in my writing and be very proud of me.

5) What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?

In part, the discount to be honest, lol. But, I did also want to see what it would be like to have someone else put feeling to my words. It was even better than I expected. Esther captured the emotions perfectly.

6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?

Nope, just poetry and occasional prose in the form of rants.

7) What is your passion in life?

I’m still trying to figure that out, but I believe this – writing poetry – is it. I’m enjoying exploring new forms and styles of writing and finding inspiration in places that I’ve never looked. I’m interacting, making friends, and writing with fellow bloggers. The process is relaxing and calming and helps me keep my depression and anxiety issues at bay. I’m also very into music and have been doing a “From My Playlist” series on my blog to introduce others to new genres and songs.

Go to the poet’s website: https://hellolaurentms.com.

Performed by Esther Thibault

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