First and most importantly, how do you like Charleston? What’s your favorite thing so
far?
Bojangles!
How is life at the College of Charleston? What would you say sets campus culture
apart from other universities?
No other university has a memorial to Elizabeth Jackson, Andrew Jackson’s mother.
You’ve mentioned being drawn to “difficult” texts. What does difficulty mean to you?
Difficult texts are difficult only because they are saying things which cannot be said in any
other way. I like thinking about what those things might be.
How do you see your own poems engaging with that? Do you think your work asks
something challenging of the reader?
I can take on challenges but cannot throw them down.
Sound is central to your work. How do you balance sound with meaning when
drafting a poem?
I cannot close my ears as well as I can close my eyes. Sounds just seep into the poems.
Do you think difficulty and sound are connected — like, can sound itself be a form of
difficulty, or can it make difficulty more approachable and accessible?
I like to think sound is more intuitive. We listen more freely than we read.
Would you say your poems are meant to be heard as much as read?
They are too short, perhaps? If I recite them, they will be over as soon as they begin.
When readers talk about “not understanding” a poem, do you think sound can still
give them an entry point?
Yes, exactly. I love many songs I do not understand at all.
How do you see the role of ‘difficult’ texts in a world that also needs accessible literature?
All texts are accessible—some just need a little more time.
What does a difficult text give to a reader that a more accessible one does not?
Pause.
How do you think about inclusivity when it comes to difficulty in literature? Does it risk shutting people out or invite them to dig
deeper? Do difficult texts risk alienating certain demographic groups -- for
example, people who don’t have the same educational background or cognitive
access?
Not every text needs to be understood. “Reading” can mean many different things.
How do you feel about the simplification of ‘difficult’ texts to make them more easily
digestible and accessible to a wider audience? For example, translations into simpler
language. What, if anything, is lost?
I do not feel too good.
Can difficulty coexist with accessibility, or are they inherently at odds? Is there a way
for difficulty to challenge readers without excluding any audiences?
Yes. Do not try to “solve” difficulty. Let it be and keep on reading even if something makes
little sense. It is okay to not understand everything.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
I have a question for them: Do you all know someone who can give me advice on writing?
What about aspiring professors?
You better enjoy teaching, the sound of your own voice, and grading on flights.
