Amy Ouzoonian is a Poet, Editor and Playwright from
New York City. She edited two critically acclaimed anthologies, “In The Arms Of Words- Poems for Disaster Relief” and “Skyscrapers, Taxis and Tampons”. Her first collection of poetry “Your Pill” was released by Foothills Publishing. She is the founder of Lock n’ Load Publishing and the editor of A Gathering of the Tribes Magazine. Amy Ouzoonian will be reading for the Mad Poets Society with Robyn Alter-Bielana and Ish Klein at The Last Word Bookshop on October 12th. For more information on Ouzoonian please visit: http://www.locknloadpublishing.com/
THE INTERVIEW:
Q. You are an accomplished poet, editor and playwright; what is your passion?
A. Being inspired and inspiring others through the filters that I communicate with: music, writing and all forms of performance.
Q. “In The Arms Of Words- Poems for Disaster Relief” is an anthology from poets around the world dedicated to raising funds for victims of natural disasters. This volume received great critical acclaim. As the editor of this volume, what challenges did you face?
A. Getting a publisher who would take the chance, then selecting the work from hundreds of submissions, and finally selling copies when it was finished. It is still challenging, especially because there are so many other important issues going on that have little to do with natural disaster. The biggest disaster now is the war in Iraq and it’s strange to think that although man does have control over this disaster, our President isn’t taking action to help the Iraqis and U.S. soldiers; the victims of the war in Iraq.
Q. Much has been said of your performance style when reading your poetry. Where did you first read and who were your major influences in developing your style?
A. I first read poetry at Creations Coffeehouse in New Paltz, NY. That was twelve years ago. There is now an Indian restaurant where the café used to be. I developed my style from listening to poets who were reading at that time. One of my mentors, during that time, Brett Axel, affected my presentation greatly. I learned how to read the poems by listening to myself read them as they were written. The poems knew how they wanted to be presented; I just helped the process along.
Q. As the editor of “A Gathering of the Tribes” you have come into contact with many poets, as well as traveling the poetry circuit. Who are favorite poets that are active today?
A. Of the ones who are active today, I would have to say that Janine Pommy Vega, Anne Waldman, Steve Dalachinsky, David Mills, Carolyn Forche, and Ruth Stone are my greatest influences.
Q. Foothills Publishing released your first collection of poetry entitled “Your Pill”. How did you develop the collection and do you have any favorites from the collection?
A. The collection had been coming together for about 5 years. I can’t really say how it came together, I fiddled with a few titles for it and the collection was an amalgam of many poems that reflected different times in my writing. The manuscript didn’t have a set intension in the beginning. I guess my favorite from the collection would have to be You Ask Me How Vietnam Changed My Father.
Q. How would you describe yourself as a poet?
A. A work in progress.
Q. Do you have any new projects in the works?
A. Yes.
Q. In October you will be reading for the Mad Poets Society in Philadelphia. What should those who attend expect?
A. I will be smelling of autumn leaves and trying to still get away with wearing sandals and as little as possible. As for hearing me read, I hope they have a good time.
Marion Deutsche Cohen is the author of seventeen books and chapbooks, some poetry, some prose. She is also a mathematician, and her latest, just-released, book is “Crossing the Equal Sign” (Plain View Press, TX), consisting of poetry about the experience of math. Her other books have been about pregnancy loss, chronic illness and caregiving, solipsism, temper tantrums, and (completing the cycle) math. Her “loose poems” (not in books) are often about the polarity between communication and solitude, and how this plays out in more concrete situations. Her math Ph.D. is from Wesleyan (Conn.) and she has taught math at area colleges, most recently the University of PA and University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. She has four grown children and two gran’s. (Also, three or five cats, depending how you count them…) Among her non-writing non-math interests are classical piano, singing, Scrabble, and thrift-shopping.
