Syd Lazarus : part one

Syd Lazarus believes in order to best understand them, you should know they once cried over an episode of Rugrats. Being Disabled, Jewish, non-binary, queer, and a Pisces is an important element of their work. They have been published in print and online publications such as Shameless Mag, Trash Magazine, Lunch Ticket, and Bad Dog Review. They have had the privilege of attending the Banff Centre’s Spring Writing Retreat 2019 and are super thrilled have their first chapbook How to Lose Friends Without Really Trying out with Frog Hollow Press. Feel free to follow them on instagram @lazaruswrites, they are always happy to make new friends.

How do you know when a poem is finished?

Usually I know a poem is done when I can’t look at it anymore, other times, it’s when I get this pleasant punch in my gut when I finish looking it over--the flow feels easy, nothing irritates me about it, and it makes me excited to share it. I especially know that feeling is correct when I leave it alone for a month, look back at it, and still get that excitement about the piece.

There are also times when I look at a poem and think: Well, this is a poem, and it will either be published or it won’t be, regardless of whether I think it’s finished. In fact, some poems may be considered “finished” for a moment, only to find things worthy of change later.