After Atlanta, we spent the weekend in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and then I went back to D.C. my trip then continued to the mountains of Montana, and then to Seattle, Washington. Between the time I was in D.C. for a touchdown at my homebase, I briefly saw Ocean Vuong at a book event for his latest poetry collection. I say this casually as if I just waltz around with casually cool things happening to me but I had been looking forward to this for a long time. I had no one in my life as interested in poetry and art as me, but it didn’t matter, because I was going to see one of my favorite poets alive read and discuss his work! I recorded the entire thing, because listening to Ocean reminds me who I am. I am a poet. And for some reason I’m always trying to hide that fact, or make it adjacent to being a writer when really truthfully, its the way I most naturally express myself and that writing is shaping who I am, and so is reading, and that my mind is constantly craving ideas to be explored.
I went alone, but I was surrounded by people who took the time to listen to poetry. A room sold-out, for poetry. It restored my faith in humanity. I write this as I miss going to literary anglophone events. Living in Geneva means I need to go to London, Boston or DC to see authors and writers I love. Being a part of a literary community who share the same love and value it with the same sacred importance that I do is so vital. I thought, erroneously, that being a part of an English department at an international high school would provide me with a similar literary community, but alas, I was mistaken. I’ve traveled to see writers in the US but can’t seem to afford to get to London just yet. I guess I’ll wait til one day I do, or learn French properly and become a part of the french literary community. Those are the options when you’re an anglophone writer stuck in a non-anglophone area. Maybe one day we’ll move, but for now this is home. I am ever so thankful for the internet for connecting me with my anglophone writing community online, through Youtube, Substack, Twitter, and Instagram. There are people out there are share their creative process and encourage creativity, and I feel blessed I live in an age where I have easy access to the world I crave so badly in my lived reality.
*Insert something pithy about how technology is a double edged sword*
Uma Jagwani 