Name: Sarah Mackey Kirby

Resident of: Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Place of birth: Louisville, Kentucky, USA

4 bums on a rugby goalpost

Why do you write? –

I write because I need someplace for all my thoughts to go. And because I love it. I wish writing paid the bills. I do paid gigs, but they are more technical and less creative. Creative writing is my outlet. Catharsis is a good word for it.

What do you write about? –

My poetry is usually drawn from my life experiences and observations. It’s about people I love, things I care about, and challenges I’ve overcome (or continue to try to). I write fiction, too, and the prose usually contains poetic elements.

When do you write? –

I’m a morning person. An early morning person. In fact, my day’s beginning sometimes coincides with when the night owls are about to go to bed. And that’s when I write best. That overlap between when the crickets and birds change shifts. I’m pretty regimented. From around 4 am to around 8 or 9 am, I’m writing or doing something writing related. But I write at night sometimes too or when something pops into my head. Which is pretty often. I tend to scribble lines I think of or ideas I have on whatever is around me. The back of an envelope, a store receipt…

Who do you read/ take inspiration from?  –

I love Pablo Neruda. I read Maya Angelou. Her poems have such a fantastic rhythm to them, and even though many are about struggle, they have a positive energy. A hopefulness. I don’t have it anymore, but I used to carry around in my purse William Ernest Henley’s “Invictus” that I’d handwritten out. It’s an inspirational poem to me personally. Some of my other favorites are Martin Espada, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Audre Lourde, Sylvia Plath. And of course. Shel Silverstein was my favorite growing up. Dr. Seuss too.

How do you write? –

My writing style is emotional and lyrical. I write most of it to read like music, with the beat intended to be part of the poem’s mood and act almost as a harmony to the content’s melody. And I include a lot of invented or on-its-head-cliché-turn phrases. Often separated with hyphens.

You’re going to release your first Album, what would it be called?

Now What.

You could be anything other than a writer, what would you be?

A teacher. No question. I taught high school and middle school history for years. It was such fun. And the middle school kids thought I was hilarious. The high schoolers—it depended on the time of day. Even though that career is accompanied by a lot of headaches and craziness, to get such joy out of a day is hard to beat.

Why are manhole covers round?

So you don’t cut yourself on the corners. If this is an IQ test, best for us to move along.

What would your autobiography be called?

Resilience.

You can claim one piece of art as your own work, what would it be and why?

“Make You Feel My Love” by Bob Dylan. It’s one of the most beautiful songs ever written.

You’re on death row, what would your last meal be?

Coffee and chocolate cake.

What was the last piece of music you listened to?

“Jealous” by Labrinth.

When did you last go to a live sporting event, what was it?

A Cincinnati Red’s baseball game. Don’t remember when. The days are blending.

If interviewed what would your pet say about you?

My cat would say “I love you.” My dog would say, “She’s a good treat factory.”

You can invent an App, what would it do?

Teach me how to be more technologically adept.

Describe yellow to someone who is blind in 50 words

Yellow

tastes like first-sip-lemonade,
all mouth-pucker-sour
weaving sweet.
Smooth as butter blessing bread.
Sunshine’s heat
on head-top-tresses
forming a perfect circle.
Yellow spans from
city-street, loud-honk taxis
to noon-soft roses
hugging summer bees.
Bringing warmth.
Happiness. Toe-sand peace.
Those thoughts that help you sleep.

To fid out more about Sarah and her current work visit – http://www.smkirby.com