Coffee Talks

With Maits

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Our poet of the month is Maits, who is also known as procrastinity on Wattpad.

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Hello! Thank you for taking the time to get involved with Coffee Community. It's great to hear from poets like yourself and get to know a little bit about what motivates you to write about the art of poetry.

So, to begin, tell us a little bit about yourself as a poet/poetess on Wattpad! For anyone who hasn't met you before, how would you describe yourself and your poetry?

I think my evolution as a poet is neatly documented in the poetry I have published here. A lot of my poetry centers around adolescence and coming-of-age themes; my first published work of poetry here, Embroidered Dreams, is a good example. It contains phases of my own self throughout the growing years. There's plenty of heartbreak and teenage angst, of course.

What are your unique quirks when you write?

I usually pen down a lot of my personal thoughts in my poetry - especially emotions I find difficult to express in the physical space. There's also the way I end a lot of my poetry: it's either on the lowest of lows or cloud nine. Like many writers, I also adapt my writing style according to the general mood and recurring themes in the book. If the book is a horror-piece like Grotesque, I'll incorporate a consistent brooding, uneasy style into the verses. Or if it's reflecting things out of the ordinary, almost on the border of whimsicalness, there will be elements of fantasy and the otherworldly, like in Midnight Musings.

I also like playing a lot with structure and framing.

What structural or stylistic techniques do you prefer to use in your poems?

Wonderful that we move on to this question just as I mentioned the part about playing with structure! Visual structure of the poems is certainly something I enjoy incorporating into my poems. For example, in the chapter "disgusting" in Grotesque, the main character Kim Yerim experiences the feeling of being let down by the ones around her. It is like a steep fall and the sinking feeling she feels is expressed in the way the two stanzas are put together. The final stanza is, quite literally, an upside down triangle of text. It is written deliberately to show the visual of feeling smaller and helpless.

I also adore wordplay, like mocktail (from Grotesque) or attesting metaphorical substituting of physical objects for abstract concepts: like calling conscience a currency in Midnight Musings.

What inspires your poetry?

Quite frankly, I draw plenty of inspiration from my events in my own life and how I navigate them. I brood a lot, think about what I could have done in particular situations, worry about the opinions of other people, etc. A lot of the characters in my poems make the same mistakes and learn from them (or don't and make the same mistakes!). Sometimes, I take inspiration from the darkest nooks in my mind, sensations I would keep in lock and key. Other times, it's a reaction to something I read or watch.

What messages can be often found in your poems?

The most recurring one is definitely self-awareness or self-realization, followed by empathy and self-love. However, themes of heartache are also just as prevalent. I'd describe the messages as akin to the feeling of ripping a bandage. It stings, but it's ultimately got something meaningful at the end of the journey.

Do you think that the Internet and social media contribute to the well-being of poetry nowadays?

Yes and no. While poetry is getting the deserved exposure it should online, it is also being reduced to a show of complicated vocabulary and flower language (something that would suit a profile bio instead). Which is a great pity, because poems have so much power in them - to either devastate a human being or uplift them. While this kind of poetry is quite palpable to its audience, I feel like it is lacking in essence and the larger reality. A lot of content and messaging is lost for the sake of stylistic purposes, just because that's what sells.

While I adore my fair share of complex word games and pretty metaphors, I am for genuinely expressed poetry.

Do you have any favourite poetry collections on and off Wattpad?

Yes, I do! One of my favourite poetry collections is one by Ruskin Bond, called I Was The Wind Last Night. And on Wattpad, I think my favourite collection has to be crave by persenthe (Sophia). Both books are just such incredibly collected pieces of art, and both Ruskin Bond and Sophia are brilliant wordsmiths.

What is the art of poetry in your opinion?

The ability to twist reality into a metaphorical, fantastical world of your own is what I'd call the art of poetry. To be able to retain the heartbreaking rawness of human emotions on the bareness of paper with carefully strung together words; that is what I'd call art.

Lastly, do you drink coffee? If yes, what is your favourite coffee beverage?

I am actually not a coffee frequenter! I prefer tea over it. However, I do have it occasionally and I'd say that filter coffee is definitely my favourite. It's a South Indian speciality and I really recommend trying it at least once in your lifetime. It's a bit different from drip brewed coffee, though. 

Thank you so much for having me here! These were some really interesting questions!

Thank you for sharing your perspective on poetry with us, Maits! We're glad that we had the chance to get to know you more and wish you all the best for your writing journey. ☕