Syd Lazarus : part five

What other poetry books have you been reading lately?

I'm currently reading The Blue Clerk by Dionne Brand, Handwriting by Michael Ondaatje, There Are Things More Beautiful Than Beyonce by Morgan Parker, and I Become a Delight to My Enemies by Sara Peters.

Syd Lazarus : part four

What poets changed the way you thought about writing?

Darcie Wilder, Tommy Pico, Billy Ray Belcourt, Sina Queyras, Dionne Brand, Porpentine, and Gwen Benaway are who come to mind. While she's not a poet, Helen Oyeyemi also inspires my work greatly.

However, on a personal level working with Liz Howard was a tremendous honor and did wonders for my voice and courage.

Syd Lazarus : part three

What do you find most difficult about writing poetry?

WIth the release of my most recent chapbook--How to Lose Friends Without Really Trying (2019) with Frog Hollow Press, I’ve realized that I struggle with keeping what I believe is a consistent voice. I enjoy so many styles of poetry and often want to explore all of them, however this doesn't always make for a linear read for more longform collections. Due to the fact that I didn’t start writing poetry seriously up until a year or so ago, I feel my work’s voice is still very inconsistent--however, this may be more of a concern than a truth.

Syd Lazarus : part two

Has your consideration of poetry changed since you began?

Yes. So much. When I started with poetry I was mimicking what I saw and thought was “standard”--I felt that my voice would only be listened to if I expressed my pain. Superficially, I knew ruminating in my suffering was not the only kind of poetry, but I could not separate from it. Now I know poetry is not just a device for vocalizing one’s own, and ingesting other’s suffering, it is a companion, it is meditative, it is funny, it is thoughtful and sometimes it is just in good fun. I also read poetry more than ever, I love to attend poetry readings more than ever, and this allows me to feel more free with how I write.

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.