Poem 4: How Poetry Saved My Life (and could save yours!)
Although poem 4 of our Coast-to-Coast Poetry Project keeps us on the west coast, it takes us far from the quiet, isolated islands to the densely populated urban core of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. This is the background of Amber Dawn‘s newly released autobiographical poetry collection: How Poetry Saved My Life: A Hustler’s Memoir. Amber Dawn has created an asbolutely unique memoir in poetry; it’s an intimate and visceral portrayal of her struggle to survive amidst dangerous circumstances. The book explores sex work, queer identity, and survivor pride, and shows how writing becomes the reigning redemptive force in her life.
Q&A with Amber Dawn
What are you reading right now?
I’m reading Leah Horlick’s debut poetry collection, Riot Lung (Thistledown Press). I’d describe the book as rough-edged and beautiful Prairie love poems.
If you wrote a memoir what would it be called?
How Poetry Saved My Life is a memoir told through poems and prose. I needed a language as dynamic as poetry to tell my story.
Where is the oddest place in which you have ever written (or been inspired to write) a poem?
Inside a moving vehicle, headed from New Orleans to Huntsville, Alabama.
Why should people read poetry?
Writing poetry forces you to be very honest with yourself. Great poetry doesn’t sugar coat our vulnerabilities.
Who are your favourite poets?
Beth Goobie, Daphne Marlatt, Sharon Olds, Elizabeth Bachinsky, Audre Lorde.
What’s one poem everyone should read?
“If You Come Softly” by Audre Lorde.
What’s your must-read literary magazine or website?
SubTerrain, from Vancouver.
What’s your guilty pleasure (when it comes to reading)?
Vogue magazine
When did your interest in reading/writing poetry start?
My late 20s, when I was truly in need of some inspiration.
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Amber Dawn is the author of Lambda Award-winning novel Sub Rosa (Arsenal Pulp Press) and her award-winning docu-porn Girl on Girl, was screened in eight countries. Amber Dawn was the 2012 winner of the Writers’ Trust of Canada Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBT writers. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC.
If you’re in Vancouver next Friday, go to the launch of How Poetry Saved My Life on Friday, April 12th.