**Interview with Rishi Dastidar on Recent Poetry Collections**
**Interviewer:** Rishi, your insights into recent poetry collections are fascinating. Let’s kick things off with “Collected Poems” by Wendy Cope. What sets this compilation apart for you?
**Rishi Dastidar:** Nearly four decades after her breakthrough work, “Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis,” Wendy Cope’s “Collected Poems” presents a wonderful chance to revisit her brilliance. It includes beloved pieces like “The Orange” and “After the Lunch,” alongside previously uncollected treasures that make you wonder why they weren’t published sooner. Take her poem “Depression,” for example; it captures a deep emotional struggle with lines like, “I can no more cross this room / Than Zeno’s arrow.” Cope’s poetry stands out for its popularity and technical mastery. She excels in forms like the triolet while infusing them with a distinctive mix of wit, insight, and a profound examination of the human experience.
**Interviewer:** Now let’s discuss “Eat the World” by Marina Diamandis. How does her writing diverge from traditional poetry?
**Rishi Dastidar:** Diamandis describes her debut collection as “strange stories” that don’t quite fit with her typical songwriting. Throughout the collection, she adopts the persona of a dislocated rock star. This resonates strongly in pieces like “Pink Elephant,” where self-mockery takes center stage: “Can somebody save me? / You’re not meant to say that, though. / You’re meant to say ‘Only I can save myself!’” Her phrasing is quite striking, particularly lines like “the thin fizz of desperation,” as she makes profound observations about emotional experiences. However, sometimes her tendency to over-explain can dilute the impact of her words.
**Interviewer:** What insights do you have about Hannah Lavery’s “Unwritten Woman”?
**Rishi Dastidar:** In “Unwritten Woman,” Lavery sheds light on the stories of women often marginalized in literature, especially in Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.” By channeling the voices of cooks, mothers, and “the madwomen / who have / always known,” she critiques the harms of patriarchy, transforming the monster into a symbol of misogyny. Her satirical take on the self-importance of theater is also noteworthy: “…the fifth emergency service. / Are we sure?” Lavery expertly emphasizes what we often overlook: “she told you she was uncomfortable … Her words in plain sight.”
**Interviewer:** And what about “Agimat” by Romalyn Ante? How does Ante’s experience as an NHS nurse shape her poetry?
**Rishi Dastidar:** Ante’s second collection, “Agimat,” is deeply influenced by her experiences as an NHS nurse during the Covid crisis. She’s very open about the emotional and physical toll that her work has taken on her. There’s a political layer to her writing, particularly through her alter ego Mebuyan, the Filipino goddess of the underworld. Lines like “this poem is a catalogue of what is missing / dopamine serotonin aprons / masks gloves” resonate powerfully. Her poems intricately weave together her Filipino heritage and life in the Midlands, exploring themes of family and relationships. The beauty of her straightforward language lies in its ability to convey the complex nature of healing: “As the hour deepens, I wonder how far / this heart can listen.”
**Interviewer:** Lastly, let’s discuss “Monster” by Dzifa Benson.
**Rishi Dastidar:** Dzifa Benson’s debut collection, “Monster,” amplifies the black female experience, particularly focusing on figures like Sarah Baartman, who is often referred to as the “Hottentot Venus.” Her work is imbued with vibrant language, providing a voice that is often overlooked. She writes, “Now I languish in salons, fairgrounds and roadside inns / where trolls with their yeast stink jostle to see this stuffed skin / mark time in a floor-show.” The collection incorporates playlets and remixes of Enlightenment thinkers, showcasing her imaginative flair and playful style. It’s a stunning debut that pushes the boundaries of poetic form.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Rishi, for sharing your thoughts on these impressive collections. They certainly offer rich and poignant explorations of contemporary issues.
