In high school, sitting in class, distracted by the words bouncing around in my head, I used to write poetry to pass the time, waiting, almost too anxiously, for the bell. Now, there's no bell to wait for, and I opt to construct poetry out of words and thoughts and images and... well, moments. I don't know how to describe my work, except to use the age-old cliche (and I'm just crazy enough to think it actually applies here): It speaks for itself. And if it confuses the reader, maybe that was its intention. And if others get it, then surely I must have planned it that way.
The point is, I don't usually write with an audience in mind. But I don't always write completely for myself either. Most of the time, I try to find a balance, and I think that is key. And, as I think is important, I don't always write from my own perspective. Or even from my own era. I'm probably too young to have experienced much of the world, yet too old to really feel like it matters. I've abandoned emphasis on grammar and punctuation and, um, "good english", as it seemed like my English classes of yore seemed so focused on instilling in us good little writers of tomorrow. I also don't blatantly abuse or misuse any of these points, you know, for the sake of being so original and deep. Yeah, deep. Right. Playing it fairly safe in real life, poetry is also one of the only places I can let loose, open up and, maybe even, I don't know, break some rules? Yeah, rules. So what exactly is left, when all that syntax falls to the ground? I don't know. Passion, I guess. And I'm not even sure about that. That, I think, is the point.
Khalid Quesada
