Write On! interviews poet Mary Duggan
Mary T Duggan is an MC and poet whose stage work covers crowd-pleasing and eco poetry in London, for London Art hubs and literary festivals, poetic hubs and civic functions, etc.
Published in various anthologies, she curates Platform Poetry for the Great Northern line stations and runs a Stanza group and Word Meets Art workshops for schools and communities.
She has an international Poetica award for Services to Poetry and read at Westminster Abbey for The National Poetry and The Keats Society.
Her Irish poems were tannoyed over two major tube stations by Transport For London and she organises Poem-a-Thon fundraisers.
WO: How would you describe your poetry to someone new to it?
MD: Energetic, exciting and accessible. My poems delve, mine and manipulate word gems to detail life’s simple stories. Myth and nature, using a written poetic style to voice the verse which attracts the listening ear.
WO: Can you tell us a bit about a new project?
MD: As a ‘Reader’ I recently prepared my poems for The Enfield Poets monthly Zoom to present submitted poems, accepted for a national Open Spaces event, part of a cultural initiative by the London Borough of Enfield. I co-hosted the poets to this Open House event. Poems were to be about the old estate and its heritage house. These submitted poems became an Open Spaces anthology, Shades Of Forty Hall.
My first poem, Child Of Forty Hall was a reverie to my young halcyon days spent within this public estate. My next poem, The Guardians, was about the two stone statues of lions. The third, around a day of group work poetry called Bukowski, Forty Hall.
WO: What inspired you to write in the first place, and what inspires you now?
MD: I was first inspired by my school drama teacher who ran the art of dramatic speech classes. She placed us in a London Guildhall competition at which I read a poem by Yeats. Even though Irish, our family had no books, except for The Readers Digest but, even so, I understood the power of the voice to project atmosphere and imagery and the poetic verse. I kept poetry close to my heart and studied A’ Level English through a correspondence course while working. One paper was devoted to poetic analysis.
Once retired from my busy chaotic life, I returned to this love. I still find myself inspired by the challenge of a new idea to frame to the page.
Writing poetry for me, means engaging the ear for others to receive its joy. And to help those interested to write and receive pleasure from this crafted art form.
WO: Last year, Write On! explored the theme of ‘Mindset.’ What helps you get into the right frame of mind to write poetry? Do you have any tips to prevent your mindset from being disrupted?
MD: It helps to write down your ideas immediately as they come to mind. I multi-task, often having the low burble of the radio in the background to snare an idea to page.
I find it best to write in a particular spot with less distractions. Also, I write on impulse but give dedicated focus to editing. I find editing the most challenging part of poetry.
I often see something that catches my imagination while at ordinary daily things. Always have a pen or pencil and paper to hand for these moments! During my workshop stanza we write to a mystery object to aid the creative process.
WO: What one piece of advice would you give an aspiring writer?
MD: To listen, watch and write down what you see and hear. Use the subject’s voice. Include conversations where appropriate. All subjects can be treated by the poetic method.
Have faith in your voice and those subjects you choose to write about.
Find a good mentor.
Ask lots of questions, and read, read, read other poets’ poetry!
WO: Question from Instagram user: @grasshopper2407 which themes are you most drawn to?
MD: Love and its constraints as pithy short ditties. Human difficulty and family, treated in a rather unanticipated way. Irish themes and my travel log poems about Croatia. Human travesty.
WO: Can you tell us anything about future projects?
MD: To publish a Travelog of poems.
WO: Lastly, if you could choose one fictional animal/creature to be a pet or companion, who would it be and why?
MD: A shape-shifter for the pure enjoyment of ‘seeing’ its magic gift unfold!
You can find out more about Mary Duggan and connect with them on Instagram: @mtdugganpoet and via their website: www.Mtdpoetry.com
Shades Of Forty Hall is available to buy from Anthony Fisher, Enfield Poets.
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Issue 27 of Write On! is out now and you can read it online here. Find it in libraries and other outlets. You can find previous editions of our magazines here.
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