Welcome to the 3rd Wolf Twin Review!
Introducing: Tré . . . an Author, Illustrator, Forest Hermit, Massurreal Artist, and Wolf Twin.
Figure Eight
Campfire stories
Forge our blades into legends
We melt down again
Itchy Teeth
Kuchisabishii
Owner of a lonely mouth
Itching for cupcakes
Wújà Enby
We are the children
Of the in-between places
Not just one but both
Aetheric Heart
Remember that soft
Space caressing the betwixt
Is made of stardust
Shingetsu
When the moon is new
We become one of a kind
Every, single, time . . .
Featured Poet Interview:
1. Haiku is a very short form. Conversely, your Allspell Septology will eventually comprise seven books. What are the differences and similarities in working in a form that short and a series with hypothetically limitless space?
Epic Fantasy writing is a massive puzzle that takes decades; whereas, I can piece a haiku together within minutes. Despite their differences, both writing forms are similar in that they require assembly. Writing Bohowler’s is like floating in a calm sea: you can lose yourself to it and let go—allow the telling to carry you along inside that infinite space. When tapping into the story, I can feel the enormity of it, stretching out like an entire universe. Composing Haiku is entirely different. Though it is more structured and comes from a smaller place, it’s exhilarating, like snow sledding down a rocky hill. As the world suddenly shrinks around my perception, all that exists is a thought and the one path to the bottom. I know the ride is going to be over in a blink, but it’s worth it. The thrill never gets old. Each time you run back up that hill to slide down again—you’re excited to be challenged.
2. You are a bonsai enthusiast. In what ways is shaping a bonsai, or choosing not to shape it, similar to fashioning a poem or a novel?
Bonsai, storytelling, and writing poetry all require visualization skills. These are art forms one must hone and practice to master. Without research, foresight, and strategy, success can wither as sure as a half-baked thought or a neglected tree. Just because a branch is healthy now, or a concept is solid, it doesn’t mean that it won’t grow sideways later—require shaping, wiring, and pruning. One must become as adaptable as the wood we’re shaping, the plots we’re twisting, and the poems we’re weaving. Light (punctuation), water (words), and humidity (sentence flow) are important to understand. Too much water, roots rot—too many non-essential words, and your story or poem can suffocate. You prune a word here, bend a sentence there, feed the concept to encourage growth, and make certain the soil and pot size are correct. Proper shaping and editing reveal the true shape of our imaginations.
3. As an avowed Forest Hermit, how do the flora, fauna, rocks, soil, air, and water you are surrounded by inform your writing?
Most of my writing is derived from dreams. Rooting myself in nature focuses my thoughts, energizes my body, and fuels my imagination. Exploring and connecting with the land, taking in the sky, listening to the sound of a stream clears my head of distractions. Coming across a hidden mushroom, I don’t just see a sneaky fungus, I gain a future story fragment. Maybe it will inspire a haiku about dappled light upon its cap, or it will become the shroom of destiny in a future tale.Â
4. As someone who experiences synesthesia, how do you approach translating the phenomenon (many people will never experience) in your stories, poems, and illustrations? Or do you feel that's even necessary?
My approach is simple: I recreate my experiences from a place of truth, then revel in adding all the details. As a child, I often expressed the way I experienced the world—as most do—without any concept of being different. I had no idea that it was called synesthesia. I thought everyone tasted songs, heard flowers, smelled emotions, and saw the colors of words. Its influence is in everything I do. Synesthesia is as vital to the way I express and exist as any other combination of senses. Articulating how it feels, in any artform, is second nature for me. It is a necessary cog in my machine.Â
5. You illustrated Moonscape as well as co-writing it. Who are your favorite illustrators?
I collect illustrator’s books. I could fill an entire page with the ones I love. Here is a short list: Patrick Nagel, Doré, Hokusai, Helen Jacobs, Yoshitaka Amano, Rowland Emett, Alice B. Woodward, Peter de Sève, Louis Wain, Virginia Frances Sterrett, and Brian Froud.
But, my all-time favorites are the ones I personally know, and whose talents delight me daily: Beth Surdut, Tom Brown, Lucinda Storms, Brian Thies, Zoetica Ebb, and Travis Louie.
6. If you were a tree, which would you be?
Ash. It’s a tree that is very close to my heart. They are said to symbolize life force, creative expression, and the power of the spoken word. Growing up, I used to daydream upon its graceful limbs, and wore samara seeds as earrings. I still love to collect the pods, toss them into the air, and watch as they helicopter down.
To Tré:
Thank you so much for being our Featured Poet, and Happy Birthday, Wolf Twin!
Dearest Readers:
Greetings, fellow poetry lovers. Check back next month, or subscribe to our blog to see the moonstruck poets we have lined up. Owwwoooooo!
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