Queens Gazette

Local-Express

Olena Jennings

 

 

Olena Jennings is the author of poetry chapbooks, Songs from an Apartment  and Memory Project.  Her translation from Ukrainian of Iryna Shuvalova’s poetry collection, Pray to the Empty Wells, in collaboration with the author, was released in 2019 by Lost Horse Press. Her translation with Oksana Lutsyshyna of Artem Chekh’s Absolute Zero was released in 2020 by Glagoslav. Her novel, Temporary Shelter is forthcoming from Cervena Barva. She is the founder and curator of the Poets of Queens reading series.

Yara Arts Group page will be hosting the Poets of Queens anthology launch on Facebook Live (made possible by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council) on Sunday, October 4, 2:00 pm with Marissa Ayala, Pichchenda Bao, Rosebud Ben-Oni, Audrey Dimola, Sherese Francis, Anna Fridlis, Jared Harel, Emily Hockaday, Lucas Hunt, Paolo Javier, Ron Kolm, Maria Lisella, Esther Mathieu, Vijay R. Nathan, Richard Newman, Wanda Phipps, Virlana Tkacz, Isaac Wheeler and Micah Zevin.

QG: As a poet, how do you stay inspired?

OJ: New York City, specifically Queens, is a great place to stay inspired. When I go out there are so many sights and overheard conversations that intrude on my solitude and find their way into my poems.

QG: How has COVID affected your writing?

OJ: COVID has affected my writing in that it is harder to stay inspired when I don’t go out as much, but working from home and not commuting has also given me more time to write. It has caused me to look more within myself for the content of the poems, rather than finding the lines outside.

QG: What’s the hardest part about translating poetry?

OJ: I feel like almost every aspect of translating poetry is a pleasant challenge. First, I need to decide what poems to translate. Sometimes I am asked to translate poems, but I still need to decide whether I relate to the poems in a way that would help me to create quality translations. Second, I need to spend time with the poem in Ukrainian, which is perhaps my favorite part. Third, I need to translate. I try not to use a dictionary initially, but I do search out the words I am not sure of.

QG: Who are some of your favorite Queens poets?

OJ: I have become acquainted with many Queens poets with the Poets of Queens reading series, so it is difficult to say which are my favorites. I like different poets for different reasons. When I started the series I was surprised by how many great poets there are in Queens. A good place to start becoming acquainted with them is in the pages of the literary journal, Newtown Literary.

QG: What are some of your favorite places to write in Queens?

OJ: My favorite places to write in Queens include the benches of Astoria Park and the wonderfully diverse cafes in Astoria.

QG: What advice do you have for writers experiencing writer’s block?

OJ: To writers experiencing writer’s block, I suggest trying some writing prompts. During the pandemic, Poetry Project has been offering some in their House Party series on their website. I would also suggest writing with your favorite music playing in the background so that you can let that inspire you.

QG: How does writing a novel compare to writing a book of poetry?

OJ: Writing a novel is a much different process than writing a book of poetry. When I write a poem it is because of inspiration I have or a phrase or image that I can’t get out of my head. When I write a novel it is more of a forced process until I latch onto a scene that carries me further. For me, it is also a longer process. I’ve lived with my novel Temporary Shelter in various incarnations for over 15 years. I’ve lived with particular poems for that long until they are assembled into a collection, but never a collection as a whole.

QG: Can you tell us more about the Poets of Queens reading series?

OJ: The Poets of Queens reading series started when I found a venue that was interested in holding readings, though I eventually moved to Book Culture LIC and now online where most of the readings are hosted by Yara Arts Group. I was looking for a community of poets in Queens and so I thought that other poets might be craving the same community. Our website is poetsofqueens.org There you can find poems by previous readers.

QG: What are some of your favorite lines from others’ poetry that you have memorized?

OJ: “She thinks she remembers listening to her own life

break loose, as she falls from the 13th floor

window on the east side of Chicago, or as she

climbs back up to claim herself again.”

By Joy Harjo. I have loved her work since I started to write poetry. I remember reading one of her books in the rare books room of the library when I was a teenager.

QG: What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve received from a mentor or role model?

OJ: Poet Peggy Hong in Milwaukee was one of my first poetry instructors. I remember she introduced me to the book Aloud! Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Café and I think (that’s when) I first grasped what poetry could be. She read a poem to us by Hal Sirowitz about ketchup, and I remember being impressed that writing could be about anything.

—Nicollette Barsamian

This column was originated in July 2013 by Nicollette Barsamian

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.