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Poetic Profile

Matias Mariani

General Questions

1) Where did you grow up? Was poetry and writing part of that mix?

I grew up between Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Books were part of my life since infancy and adolescence. But nothing exaggerated beyond the limit of the agreeable

2) Who are your poetic influences, favorite poets, writers, artwork, other things that inform your work?

João Cabral de Melo Neto. Max Ophüls. Kurt Vonnegut. Nuno Ramos. Jan Vermeer. Paulo Ferraz. Mário Rui Feliciani. Gregório de Matos. Idrissa Ouedraogo. Michelangelo Antonioni. Frederico Barbosa. Michael Palmer. Edith Derdyk. Régis Bonvicino. Clementina de Jesus.

Inspiration is a conceit but all of these drove to want to write.

3) What is your opinion of Global Poetry? American poetry? Brazilian poetry?

American poetry has been and continues to be a great influence for my writing. My contact with Latin American poetry is restricted I have a deep affection for the poetry of Cesar Vallejo.

4) When did you 'become' a poet when did poetry become part of your everyday life?

Poet is a very heavy word (or light?) I do not normally use it. I have written since I was young, 10 or 11 years old and I was published the first time when I was 19 years old.

5) Where were you educated? Was this important?

Very important, I studied in a high school called Logos in São Paulo and it was a very genial place. I met Frederico Barbosa, he was a professor, and poet who influenced me very early. In the USA I went to NYU, the Tisch School of the Arts in Film, this for me has been the most important formation.

6) Poetry in the USA is divided into experimental, traditional and popular how do you classify Brazilian poetry?

I think that all these elements are present in contemporary Brazilian poetry. Unfortunately the traditionalists have a strong hold over the Poetic and Literature worlds in Brazil in my opinion.

7) What is your favorite food?

Charque (Sun Dried Meat) and Runny Eggs

8) Sports Team? Activity?

Flamengo (soccer time from Rio de Janeiro), fanatic.

9) Vacation Spot?

Depends on the vacation.

10) Curse word?

I do not have a preferred word, I like them all

11) Are Magazines in Brazil tied to certain movements?

I think that the poetic magazines today are used as standards for various poetic groups. Slowly we are pulverizing the poetic discussion in the major academic centers in Rio and Sao Paulo and this is great

12) Is poetry in Brazil tied to Academia?

Not necessarily. We have a tradition in Brazil of poetry on the margins and this completely anti academic. I think that today there exists interesting poets that are not tied to Universities. Regis Bonvicino is an example.

Craft Questions

1) How do you form a poem?

This depends allot. I have the custom of writing at night. I have written allot based on the words of others from conversations that I hear from other people, anonymously. I like “ oral ness” and the synthetic capacity of a half dozen words at the bus stop for example. I remember these things during the day, but I organize them at night, the late night. This gives me a chance to think with a blank page and lay out the words in geometric forms with strophes disposed for the page some verses longer some shorter and then I write.

2) Is poetry an organic or synthetic process for you?

Synthetic, without a doubt .

3) Where do you write? Is ambiance important?

Normally on my computer, but with my laptop I can be anywhere.

4) In the balance between found language and created language where does your work fall? Do you use many sources?

These are fallacious conceits

Links

Fundação Memorial da América Latina - Matias Mariani's poems on the web

http://www.freewords.org/biennal/artist/poempark.html