Here is a brief and insightful written interview with Susan L. Lin, author of the hauntingly beautiful poem, "Unsuspecting Creatures," published in Witch House 3.
Witch House: Tell us a bit about your training as a poet. When did you first start writing poetry? Have you formally studied poetry or creative writing? Have you published poetry elsewhere?
SLL: I remember writing my first poems when I was seven. We did a poetry unit in my second grade class, studying cinquains, limericks, couplets, and haiku before compiling our own mini collections. Limericks were my favorite; I wrote at least a dozen back then, and there are a few I'm still quite proud of. As a teenager, I continued writing poems, mostly as a way to express my emotions. I didn't quite grasp the craft of the genre at that time. Later, I took a couple of poetry workshops in school, but fiction has always been my primary focus. Even so, I somehow managed to sell 14 poems this year, including one to one of my dream journals, Strange Horizons. That number feels kind of wild to me; before last year, I don't think I'd ever written 14 poems in my entire adult life.
Witch House: Who are some of your favorite poets? Whose poetry has influenced your work? Can you speculate or comment on the poetic traditions that you work within?
SLL: I don't read a lot of poetry outside of literary journals, so I can't say I have a favorite poet. However, I do love Russell Edson and Anne Carson. My favorite poem of all time is 'The Shrinking Lonesome Sestina' by Miller Williams. I've always wanted to write a sestina, but I haven't yet finished one that I'm happy with. Generally, I'm more influenced by song and rap lyrics because I listen to a lot of music, both popular and obscure, and I'm attracted to the rhythm of language, the repetition of words and sounds. I've also found that self-imposed restrictions and structures often produce some of my best and most creative work, so I admire the techniques of the French Oulipo. Whenever possible, I challenge myself by inventing new constraints to experiment with.
Witch House: Can you provide some background information about your poem featured in Witch House #3, "Unsuspecting Creatures"? Were there any specific intentions behind your choice of form, such as lineation or rhythm? Can you elaborate on the recurring theme in the poem that explores the exploration of profound realms, like the cosmic and the depths of the ocean?
SLL" I originally wrote "Unsuspecting Creatures" last year for a contest I didn't win. I can't recall the exact prompts, but they were all fire-related. Having grown up along the Gulf Coast and currently living in California, I've had to evacuate my home due to both hurricanes and wildfires, so I often write about climate disasters. This time, I wanted to draw a parallel between the current state of the planet and the days leading up to the extinction of the dinosaurs, another recurring topic in my work. The line 'My head swims, I see stars on the ocean floor' was something I found in my notes app, written long ago but never used in any finished piece. I started with that line and tried to build more imagery with a similar energy around it. I used the repetition and alteration of 'wrong place, wrong time' to emphasize a collective denial of our dire situation. Other than that, I let the form of the poem take shape organically while writing.
