Interview with the author
Anca Mihaela Bruma
on
Songsoptokkblog
15th June 2015
S: Why literature or
poetry in specific interests you so much? Do
you think literature or poetry is really essential in our life? If so why?
Anca: Poetry is the language which can say more and more intensively than any
other language implied in other literary pursuits. It is like a
multi-dimensional, involving the readers’ sense, emotions and intelligence.
There were poems which literally changed my perspective upon life, and some of
them have like hidden secrets which need to be unlocked. For me poetry is
important as it has that fire in the person’s life, changing it alchemically,
bring new realms to it, through its powers and rhythms indeed breaking the conscious mind helping it to awaken and
nourish it as well, as if it honours both the known and the unknown in us and
the world itself. Personally for me, poetry is an act of existential leap,
illuminating our life even bringing new breath into it. When I write I like to
galvanize the readers’ attention, shaking and awakening them. With my poetry it
is as if I become more human, more fully engaged with the world.
S: How do you relate
your own self existence with your literary life in one hand, and the time
around you, in the other. Do
you think society as a whole, is the key factor in shaping you up as a poet, or
your poetry altogether? Or is your poetical journey is actually a spiritual
extension of your whole individuality?
Anca: For me poetry is a process of self-discovery, the plateau where strong
emotions are intensely expressed, explored and explicated, it is a process of cognitive
and emotional insights. My writings are my own spiritual autobiography, the
stages of my own development, as a thinker and feeler. Projecting it outside I
hope to awaken in others deeper realities of life within themselves. I am a
true believer in the power of the words and the mystery of unlocking latent
realities, universes, thought, emotions. It is supposed to elevate and enrich
their lives as well!
I have decided to start writing again in 2014 after many years of not
writing, and it came to me like an “explosion”. It is as if the pen “writes” me
not the other way around – and I just know, all these years of crystallization
came into fruit right now, in a concentrated manner full of hidden meanings and
layers after layers.
Society is a key factor, in my case when I was only 9 years I
registered for an art group, where I was taught the art of poetry. Later on, my
studies in art, as well supported this path. A society which believes and fully
supports art plays a major role in the development of an individual.
S: Do you believe
creative souls flourish more in turmoil than in peace? In recent history, your
motherland Romania had gone through a rough transitional phase of converting
the socio - economic and political system from communism to capitalism. Can you
elaborate your own views upon this issue, how do these historical changes
actually affect the literature of a land.
Anca: During Communism many authors were subservient to the regime, and that
was exploiting the literature for its own ends. However, there are numbers of
authors who challenged the censorship of the regime. Nothing what happened
during a totalitarian regime was natural, everything became like a response,
defence, a desperate reaction for survival. School of poetry was turned into a
propaganda tool in order to achieve ideological claims and false utopian world.
The post-communism literature gained different connotations, it is
meant to express a new rebirth of individuality, it was a tool to express the
truth to the world, to understand the vital value for the freedom, of speech
and action. A new literary identity is
formed after the chaos created by the communism, an identity which chooses to
express the grief, torment, loss of its uniqueness, the right to deny
censorship or any form of limitation or repression. Poetry after 1989 is
characterised by an explosion life, and intense awareness of it, accentuating
on the self-discovery and removal of the cultural desert and lack of freedom.
S: Would you like to
share with us the literary scenario of your motherland?
Anca: Romanian early literature was characterized very much by historical
one, with lots of chronicles. 18th century is the awakening time for
Romanian literature, plenty of writers developed their skills while in France
and being in tune with the literary movements in France that time. Romanians
was at that time quite “pregnant” with many writers, however the greatest
Romanian writer is considered, even nowadays, Mihai Eminescu, due to its philosophical
approach. He opened the gates for the modern literature. The period between
world war and after the war, knew a time of great ascension with great authors,
followed by a descending curved marked by the propaganda style of writing
during communism time, which lasted for 40 years. After the Revolution in 1989,
and removal of communism Romania knows a new ascending curve, where the
expression of freedom in all its forms marks the writings of most of the
authors.
S: What are the
challenges one has to face to switch over in a foreign language for her
literary work? How do you feel to write in an adapted language like English?
Anca: Speaking two languages can be challenging because sometimes I must
direct attention to one language while suppressing interference from the other.
Brains of bilingual people automatically activate both languages even in the
contexts where only one is relevant. However, when I write in English I always
keep the Romanian lyricism, which is so specific to our land. In fact, it is
very well know Romanian poetry is quite hard poetry to be translated due to its
high level of lyrical subtleties.
S: Do you think in
this age of information and technology the dimensions of literature has largely
been extended beyond our preconceived ideas about literature in general?
Anca: The digital medium has provided the basis for multi-mediality and every
day we learn how we can manipulate in new ways the information. The transformation
done by the web is multi-dimensional, it changes the objects of study and in
the same time the subject who studies it. The changes in time will become
grater, as technology is very fast evolving, and of course with it all other
fields. Accessibility and convenience are top priority benefits.
S: Now in this
changing scenario we would like to know from your own life experiences as a
poet, writer and a creative soul; how do you respond to this present time? Do you think people in general actually bother
about literature in general? Do you
think this consumerist world is turning the average man away from serious
literature? I mean the serious literature.
Anca: My type of writing is not the one which keeps the pulse of society or
the world in general, even though the themes I approach, Love and Life are
general ones I see them from philosophical, mystical point. And for me this is
everlasting. I cannot label myself a social type of writer, but rather
“sensually mystic” or mystically sensual” type of writer. This is my pen
trademark, the one with which I feel in tune with.
Society still cares for literature, not as before, internet nowadays
somehow replaced this pleasure. And yes, I do believe consumerism takes away
the quality of good literature.
S: Do you believe all
writers are by and large the product of their nationality? And what are the factors which pay dividends and which become obstacles
for your ultimate growth as an international writer even beyond your time?
Anca: We are all
the “products” of our own nationalities, no doubt about it. It is in our DNA,
carrying our own ancestors’ heritage. Each of the nationality carries its own
history which of course impacts on each individual, shaping him/her. Even if I
write in a language which is not my mother tongue, I do carry my own language
characteristics, a very specific poetic lyricism particular in my part of the
world. That makes the approach being different, even enticing for many.
I do not
believe there is any obstacle for growth as international writer, if so far you
have a strong message out there, you will always find an audience which
resonates with your own style, approach, view about things.
S: We would like to
know the factors and the peoples who have influenced you immensely in the
growing phase of your literary life. How do you evaluate your contemporaries
and what are your aspirations from the younger generation?
Anca: In terms of
poetry writing, there is an interesting curve in my writing “career”. At
initial stage, just a teenager, I was very much influenced by Romanticism,
Realism, Symbolism, Avant-garde, followed in my university times by
Existentialism, Surrealism, Transcendentalism. Poets and writers influenced me
in my own literary development as well approach of life. Just to mention some at
that time: Dostoevsky, Camus, Kafka, William Blake, Umberto Eco, Leo Tolstoy,
Emily Bronte, Alfred Tennyson, Robert Browning, TS Eliot, Plato, Henri Bergson,
Jean Paul Sartre, Victor Hugo, Paul Verlaine, Carl Jung, Immanuel Kant, Johann
Wolfgang Goethe, Henry David Thoreau and so on.
Since early age, I have always viewed writing
poetry as the perfect medium which is able to depict profound unfathomable
complexities of someone’s life or life itself, to render into words that which
is unsayable, that ineffable, which can be truly deeper than the language
itself. Through my writings, as well years of readings, I always looked to seek
something beyond that which was apparent to others! I was fascinated to see how
different aspects of truth were transfigured by different emotions, how
experiences were poetized. I pursued seeing beauty expressed in all forms of
art, not just poetry; creating a “thirst” within me to explore more and more
for the knowledge of the mystery beneath and beyond it, as a symbol of something
greater and higher with its own power to immortalize the expressions over the
years.
During this exploration a huge impact on me had
as well the Oriental philosophies, like Taoism, Zen, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita,
Sufism, Buddhism and so on, and all these perspectives about life made a huge
impact on me and the way I approach writing nowadays. The time I did not write,
for many years, it was the perfect time for me to incubate and crystallize all
these knew knowledge, together with my own experiences in order to have my own
signature in my own writings.
My aspiration
for the younger generation is simple: to READ more!
S: In this patriarchal society do you think, as a woman you
need more free breathing space to uphold your own personality and liberty? In this regard we would like to know your own
views about present day feminism. Would you like to be addressed as a
feminist?
Anca: I consider my writings as a tool for women to
claim their own feminine powers. My writings try to overpass what seems to be
the humans’ limitations but emphasizing the essence of a woman, of the Goddess.
The main theme, Love, is basically presented as a transformative experience in
life, the energizing force of the Universe and empowering the creative
feminine.
As a writer I may not come across as feminist
as more as a sensually mystic writer. Even though I am a strong believer of
gender equality, with the same civil rights and liberties, this is not the
approach I have when I write, pleading for human equality but rather a more wakeup
call addressed to women to reclaim their feminine powers for themselves, to
become stronger, loveable, therefore a better woman in society. It is a call
not to prove to others who they are but for themselves.
S: Humanity has
suffered immensely in past, is still suffering around the world. We all know it
well. But are you hopeful about our future? What role can literature in general
play to bring a better day for every human being? In your own words!
Anca: My mission as a writer is to heal, awaken, inspire for a better world.
If all are sending out beautiful messages of hope and joy, the world will
become a better place to live. Us, the authors are like sacred keepers of the
words, whatever we send out there shall be full of hope, joy and inspirational
guidance.
I see the act of writing as an existential leap,
delivering people from the habitually or conventionally established world into
new horizons of the spirit, and that brings a breakthrough in one’s overall
consciousness.
All spiritual traditions teach us about the Power of
the Word, and how life changer can be, affecting us and others, ability to
change minds and lives forever. As words, thus poetry, have creating force of
healing, awakening us from a deep
quotidian sleep!
For me, a good poetry is like a magical spell, which
carries power, color, vibration, intent, magnetically charged. Us, the poets,
are the alchemists, transforming the emotions, mostly through katharsis, into
poetic “spellbinding”. Saying that, we ARE responsible for the words, the ars
poetica we deliver to the World and we should consciously choose to cultivate
the literature’s curative powers! Using the Art of Words it is as if we
practice Magic, and with this, altering the World and shifting its state of
consciousness. I am a believer that us, the writers, can bring change and
challenge through poetic consciousness!
S: Many thanks ANCA for spending such a
wonderful time with us, we would like to conclude this interview with a
personal note, are you satisfied about your own achievements in your
life? What are your plans for future?
Anca: Thank you! My “achievements” are my own personal developments. Over the
years I have added so many different flavors to my own persona, growing,
expanding and hopefully becoming a better person. In sense of writing I have
only one dream: that my writings indeed will bring power to heal and awaken
others. Making a better world! This is my greatest mission!
Short bio: My name is Anca Mihaela Bruma, I am Romanian
living in Dubai/UAE. My love for poetry started when I was just 9 years old, when I registered myself to some creative poetry writing
group. It was a turning point for me as I started to discover the mysteries of
the written word and its impact on the readers. I was just 6 years old when I
registered myself at a public library, being fascinated by the readings. The
passion for reading, composing and reciting the written words was extended to
choosing the first degree, a BA in English and Romanian Philology. While a teenager,
I was published in various journals of poetry.
The first paradigm shift started when I started
teaching when I was just 22 years old, I discovered the vocation for educating
and forming people, developing their latent skills, make them outshine. At that
time I knew, I am not just a creator of my own subjective universe, as well
helping and guiding others to find and refine their own skills, potential, with
care, empathy, wisdom. I think this path was also sustained by the fact that
from my father’s side, all are teachers, professors, so I may say I have a
genetic inheritance when it comes to guiding, supporting, educating others.
I had always the personality of an explorer of
uncharted territories of the mind and of the soul. At tangible level, I knew I
needed to face the world, so after 2 years of teaching in Romania I decided to
“conquer” the world. If in Romania I learned knowledge, the challenges I faced
outside my country, guided me more into the wisdom side, the understanding at
much subtle level others, their philosophy about their lives, and I
incorporated many of those in my own personal development.
Another
paradigm shift happened when I decided, after 2 years in Dubai, to go for
further studies, this time for business. I have decided to pursue at that time
a business career, due to my practical and analytical approach to life as well.
I studied my master degrees in Australia, Melbourne, and my creative side
helped me to have the guts which are required in business, to see beyond the intangible,
beyond the apparent.
For couple of years I taught Business subjects,
in Dubai, in various universities and colleges, the pathos for guiding was
there all the time. In time I decided to go for coaching, training approach, as
well consultancy.
Another huge
paradigm shift happened when I decided to approach my own writings, from the
outward expression to a more inner world expression, as a poetic description of
elevating experiences, which marked vitally my life, as human as well as poet,
and nowadays through my own expression I guess I am trying to awaken in others
the deep realities of life within themselves. “All knowledge is recollection”
Plato said, and it is my own legacy right now.
When I write,
I see it like a vision, or like a painting in front of my eyes, and I use lots
of symbolism and allegory in order to apprehend the infinite intelligence,
catching the reflections of truth with a strong mystic sense of infinity, of
the boundless, of the opening out of the world of our normal finite expressions
into the transcendental.
For me writing
now it is more related with the realization of the greater self, beyond the
mundane and well known laws of the society, as an expression of both the
rational and the intuitive, in a concise form of poetry, increasing the
awareness with new meanings expanded.
From the classics to the transcendental
thinkers, all influenced me, and I have a holistic approach when I express
myself through writings.
I will like to conclude with one of my favorite
quote, which encompasses as well my view upon life, clearly seen as well in my
poems: “There is true knowledge. Learn thou it is this/To see one changeless
Life in all the Lives,/And in the Separate, One Inseparable” (The Bhagavad
Gita, Book 18).
Anca Mihaela Bruma recitals, videos & poems here:
Website: http://marmoset16.wix.com/
Soundcloud (recitals): https://soundcloud.com/
Yourlisten (recitals): http://yourlisten.com/
Youtube (video poetry with recitals): https://www.youtube.com/
Facebook (artist page): https://www.facebook.com/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AncaMihaela16/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AncaMihaela16/
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