“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah” 58:11 (NIV)
Jasmine Flowers, a poet from Fultondale, Alabama presented her work at the Alabama Center for the Arts in Decatur Al, on April 20, 2022. There were approximately fifteen people in attendance. Donna Estill, the Interim Chief Academic Officer; Dean, Humanities & Social Sciences for Calhoun Community College, was the interviewer.
Flowers read from her poetry collection with poise and ease. One could feel the quietness of the lull in her voice and the meter of time in her rhythm. In a true sense, she exuded creativity. She was attired in a short denim jacket, a yellow flowered dress with a side split that extended to the top of her black wedge heeled sandals.
Flowers said that writing came early in life for her, and she wrote her first poem, “Creepy Things” in fourth grade. She said that the teacher changed one word and she became very upset. From her earliest childhood she was a serious writer.
Estill asked Flowers who inspired her most from grade school through high school. Flowers said that she was inspired by works that her teacher presented, in elementary school it was Shel Silverstein, in middle school, Edgar Allen Poe, and in high school Langston Hughes, those were the people that “started the light for me.”
Other than poetry Flowers enjoy art by Andy Warhol, Picasso, and Dali. She said that these pieces can allow one to appreciate the work of others, gain appreciation, and inspiration without plagiarizing the- work of others.
Flowers, a graduate of the University of Alabama, and a member of Sigma Tau Delta was asked from a member in the audience how did it feel to be a graduate from a school with a history of racism.
Flowers said, “My eyes were opened to racism, despite the fact, embrace where you are from. There are things about Alabama to embrace such as, the Alabama football experience, it is like a religious service where people gather and celebrate.”
In her first poetry book, “Horizons” its theme hinges on borderlands and enchantment taking on the state motto of New Mexico. After Flowers completed a read from Horizon, members from the audience shared that they felt it had a spiritual quality, especially the section that read, “Send me a little something, a little magic to send me on. No miracles: I don’t need those. Just a little magic to send me on. Name a star or two for me. I named the universe: You.”
Flowers said that sometimes those elements just seem to creep into her writing, as well as Bible teachings to express a deeper understanding. She said It affects the way you feel and think and helps to express yourself and give yourself a sense of who you are in the universe.
Flowers said she learned to listen internally and externally to recognize visual poetry, collages, and hybrid work. “This method helps poetry to come easier for me,” and Flowers said that one day she hopes to do a big poem for the state of Alabama.
Flowers was asked by Estill, what is she doing now? She said she was living her dream job. “Writing has always been my dream and now I get to combine my love of poetry with my job. I am employed by Shipt Internet Publishing Company as a copywriter. It is about marketing and using your creativity and words to sell products. You want people to have an emotion after they have read your poetry or looked at your artwork.”
Flowers shared three poems, Arboreal, Purple Bovine, and Ribcage. Estill commented how each one was loaded with imagery and the enjoyment she experienced while listening to Flowers read, especially Arboreal. Flowers said they were set in the time of the pandemic and Cypress Press published the poems.
After the reading a question from the audience was asked concerning the poem Purple Bovine, “Did you find it surprising that came out of you?” Flowers said, “Not everything is rainbows and butterflies, all things need to be represented. There are lessons in all things including folklores and sometimes the good guy is not always the good guy.”
Estill asked Flowers, what does the writing process look like for you? Flowers said, “I do not have a specific process, just whatever comes to me. I make a list in my phone or in a journal, it may be new definitions, quotes, etc., and then I do a number’s generator and choose three things and that is where I go. It may be rainbow, Tennessee, and tornado like a collage and then I arrange a draft.”
“Publishing a poem is a process, mostly research. I try to get involved in the poetry community, social media, and research literary journals, which are how I found Flowerpress.com on Instagram. The literary work is edited and then ready for publication. Format is a big part of getting published. Not all publishers like long poems. Some publishers will not publish “zines, handmade magazines” because of space and margins. You have to find what is best for your poem.”
Flowers concluded that she was excited to see how her poetry would change over time. “There are many influences to consider such as, playwright, screenwriter, and TikTok. These explore different art forms as a whole and it will be exciting to see where they will lead.” She also said Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam (MIA) and Beyoncé were among her favorite artists.