Finding inspiration in the most mundane things

Oct 21, 2013 News

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– a chat with Guyana Prize winning poet Cassia Alphonso

By Kiana Wilburg

Cassia Alphonso loves the Guyanese dialect.
Were it were remotely possible, she would probably eat it four times a day and wear it as six-inch heels to work.
It was certainly refreshing that this well-travelled 25-year-old businesswoman and prize-winning poet refuses to let her tongue be tailored by the cultural influences of the outside world.
And proving her love for our “mother-tongue,” Cassia Alphonso embarked on writing a few poems using creolese of course, about her family and growing up in Guyana.
That manuscript, Black Cake Mix, won Ms. Alphonso the Guyana Prize for Literature 2012 award in the Best Book of Poetry category. This award was shared with veteran poet and columnist, Dr. Ian Mc Donald.

With her unique sense of humour, Cassia Alphonso speaks about her life and her craft.
Kaieteur News (KN): Kindly introduce yourself to our readers.
Cassia Alphonso (CA): Umm. Ok. (Chuckles) I’d say I am a writer whose work is based on life experiences and I like to observe. I am a big ‘people watcher’. I used to go to school in Upstate New York and during breaks I would just go and sit in Times Square and watch at people and wonder what they are doing, where they are going, what their life is like and I find great inspiration in that and even the most mundane things.
KN: Before we venture into your manuscript, what does Cassia Alphonso do on a daily basis?
CA: I work for my dad. We own a television station in Essequibo, so I’m responsible for managing business ads, progress reports, contracts and other related work and that is primarily my jurisdiction in the company. We have a new building on Lamaha Street so before I get to my second office; I stop there and just make sure that everything is ok. I am my dad’s scribe, as well, so anything he needs written I would get it done for him.
KN: What’s your real passion? Business or Creative Writing?
CA: I haven’t found my complete passion. I think I have found parts of my passion. I do like reading and writing and I love the whole business side of things because we have a lot of business in Essequibo and growing up around that I guess it is ingrained in me. But I haven’t found that one thing I can call my ‘passion.’
KN: Describe your work.  Where did it all start?
CA: Writing all started when I was pretty young. My mom always instilled in me and my brothers to always be good readers and it became competitive after a while. She would say if you read this you will get ‘x’ and after a while I just wanted to keep beating my own record. If I read a book in a week, I wanted to read another in four days and with that I just grew to love literature. Even in my high school days I was told that I had the ability to be a great writer by my English teacher at School of the Nations, and I was about 13 or 14 at the time. From the time he told me that I started reading poetry and as I kept reading, I realized that you can use different dialects and I never knew you could do that because I always thought poetry had to be so strict like Shakespeare or something. So I was really happy when I discovered that.
I attended Hamilton College, which is in New York and the classes I took were very rigid. But then one time we were given the opportunity to be creative and we were able to write on anything. So I decided to do a collection of short stories. And my professor was like, “Cassia, you should really try to pursue this because I see that you really have a gift here.” And from then on, that confidence just grew in me to be a writer.
KN: When did you start writing poetry and how old were you when you wrote your first poem?
CA: I was about 17 when I started writing seriously but before 17 I just used to diddle daddle with roses are red, violets are blue, and give it to my mom to read.
KN: Were you surprised when you were shortlisted for the Guyana Prize?
CA: Definitely. It’s so weird cause the day I found out I was shortlisted, my grandmother had passed away. And I was shocked when I heard. Even my dad got calls and he was like, ‘Cassia, you submit your work to a poetry thing?”
And I was like yes and he was like, “Girl! And you aint tell nobody?” (Giggles) but I am so honoured to be in that category and Mr. Mc Donald and I spoke that night and he gave me some tips on writing. It was like a dream.
KN: Why did you use creolese throughout the work you submitted for the Guyana Prize?
CA:  Well, I wanted to see if I could actually do it. If I could write poetry like the people who have inspired me like Evan Jones with his poem, “Song of the Banana man.” I also heard that the Prize would have judges from all over the world and I loved that challenge. And I just wanted to know that I can be myself with my poetry and use my dialect and not only the Guyanese audience would be able to read it and understand.
I love my dialect. I am proud of it. It is like a song and poetry is essentially like a song.
KN: What are your main successes so far?
CA: (chuckles) I think the main success I have is that I haven’t disappointed my family and I find much pride in that. I value family and I never want to disappoint them. Oh! And winning the Guyana Prize and being in the same category with Ian Mc Donald which is simply amazing.  The Prize is such a huge deal for me because I just read about this thing on line and I got my manuscript together and I sent it off to The University of Guyana. I told no one because I was like, “Well if ya win ya win if ya lose ya lose so whateva be let it happen.”
So I won and I am so thrilled about that.
Umm… What else… I graduated from college? No No No. That’s usual, you’re supposed to graduate from college (chuckles) So I guess that’s it. My family and the prize.
KN: What was your writing like five years ago?
CA: Well, five years ago, the content of my writing was still the same but my technique was not as strong. Over that period I learnt more because I read more. Now, I have become a more technical writer.
KN: What are some of the topics you explore in your poetry?
CA: The poems with which I won the award were mostly about growing up in Guyana. But I love writing about women; the ones I have known or the women I have known through the stories told to me by my mother.
KN: Have you taken formal classes to perfect your craft?
CA: Yes I have, in college.
KN: What writing project are you working on right now?
CA: I am trying to do a collection of short stories, on the friends that I have. They are such a great inspiration.
KN: What is your biggest fear when you present your poetry to someone?
CA: When it is your work, it is your baby. So which mother wants her child to be called ugly? No mother! So I get fearful of that. But when I was in college, we had workshops where people would bash your work, like rip it to shreds, make you feel awful and like whatever you write you just have to rewrite everything because it’s so terrible. But I have gotten a thicker skin because of that. Sometimes people would read it and, when you think it’s perfect they would say, “Cassia this makes no sense. Where did this whole metaphor or imagery come from?”
But you just have to remind your self that it is constructive.
KN: What are some of your future projects?
CA: Right now I’m trying to get my manuscript published and after that, I will work with an editor and go through my other work and learn from that critique as well.
KN: Are there particular authors who would have influenced your writing?
CA: Yes! Maya Angelou’s “While the cage bird sings” is close to my heart because you get to understand the relationship between her and her family members. I also like Nicholas Sparks. He is such a romantic writer. But for my work? It would have to be Maya Angelou because she writes a lot about women and I do too.
KN: What advice would you give to someone who wants to take up creative writing?
CA: Read a lot! You will learn so many things. Also, have people read your work. Just be brave enough to do that because the critique will help you to grow.
KN: If you could interview a writer, dead or alive, who would it be and what would be two of your questions?
CA: It would definitely have to be Maya Angelou. And, I’d probably ask her, why she found women so fascinating to write about. Hmm…But would that be a good question?  She’d probably laugh at me and say, “Ha Ha Ha Ms. Alphonso you’re so silly.” But seriously, I’d ask her about it because I write about women. I mean I’d love to know what her take on that topic is.
KN: Poets are often thought of as flowery and peaceful. Does this describe you?
CA: OH NO! (Chuckles) I am flowery but I am passionate, very outspoken. I don’t fit the mould of what they make poets to be. I am a bouncing rabbit. I’m hyper.
KN: Since you write mostly about women, will you ever write about men?
CA: Definitely. I find them interesting as well. And the first thing I’d write about is being a father. My dad to me is the best ever. He is a rock in my life and gets me out of trouble with my mommy too.
KN: What do you try to communicate with your poetry?
CA: When someone reads my work I want them to feel that it is relatable and that is what I try to communicate.
KN: Do you have a favorite piece from your manuscript? And if so, why is it your favourite?
CA: That would be the piece I named the manuscript after, “Black Cake Mix. My mom makes really good black cake and whenever she made it I would be in the kitchen and that space became her classroom because she would tell me so many things. When I was younger the topics would be about school and as I got older, topics became about the importance of kindness and education, and boys and what you should look for in a mate. And I really love that.
KN: What is the best advice you were given about being more creative?
CA: My professor always told me, “Don’t just stay within what you know, or just your life experiences, try to reach further than that. Try to absorb from other writers what they play on. Don’t ever say you can’t do a certain poetic form like a sonnet, because you can surprise yourself and that can even help you develop the form you previously had and avoid living in your comfort zone.”

Black Cake Mix
(excerpt)
“Yuh betta marry a Guyanese boy.
Only he gon like a true black cake.”
Folded forehead, wondering to ask a question
that will be answered, regardless.

“Jamaican man mek yuh lock up yuh curls and nyam ital.
Mek yuh talk bout Jah Jah and smoke
Till yuh aint kno yaself no-mo.
Marry a Sallasie, No more chicken, fish or beef.”

“Bajan men dem believe dem is the jewel
of the West Indies, suh dem not fuh you.”

“A Trini, he plat he foot all day,
An yuh go fine wuk fuh mine he.
Hard wuk while he fet as dem would seh.”

“A home grown boy is wha yuh need.”
She continues mixing faster now,
“He gun love yuh fuh fulling he belley
and he gon wuk hard fuh keep yuh cooking.”

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