In this heartfelt and inspiring interview, we dive into the creative journey of Alicia Cook, a remarkable poet whose words have resonated with countless individuals around the world. Alicia shares her passion for storytelling, music, and the deeply personal experiences that shape her poetry. With a dedication to addressing themes of mental health, grief, and addiction, she offers profound insights and wisdom for anyone looking to express themselves creatively. Join us as we explore Alicia’s journey, her process of connecting poetry with music, and the powerful legacy she hopes to leave through her work.
1. What initially drew you to the world of poetry and music, and how did this connection influence your “poetry mixtape” series?
I was always a storyteller. As a kid, I liked to create my own bedtime stories and picture books. In third grade, I was formally introduced to poetry thanks to a school lesson. That same year, I wrote some short poems, which were submitted to a children’s poetry anthology and accepted. Even at 8 years old, I felt so much pride and excitement when I saw my name in a book. I knew that’s what I wanted to do for a living.
Music was ever-present in my life, from birth. My father loves music and introduced me to a lot of his favorite music, and of course, as I grew up, I developed my own musical tastes, too. I have connected every single emotion I’ve ever felt throughout my life to a song. And I think that’s beautiful.
To me, there is no difference between a well-written poem and a well-written song.
2. Could you share a bit about your personal journey with mental health, grief, and addiction, and how these themes manifest in your poetry?
I love to share my “origin story” because I know I am not alone in this. In 2006, my cousin Jessica overdosed and died after a brief 18-month addiction to heroin. This, coupled with a handful of other traumas, impacted my mental health a great deal. I began writing essays on what it was like to have addiction in my family. And the essays resonated with others all over the country and the world. A few of my essays were even translated into multiple languages.
Grief is something that never leaves a person. There is no cure. There is no five-stage light at the end of the tunnel. You have to learn to co-exist with grief, and death in general needs to be destigmatized more since every human on the planet experiences death in their lifetime. I live alongside my grief, which I liken to a shadow, and I hope through my poetry that others feel less shame and confusion around their own grief.
I continue to use my platform to be a voice for families impacted by drug addiction and have expanded my scope to speak a bit more generally on grief, anxiety, and depression. My poetry is an extension of this, too. So, I’ve definitely been consistent in my themes over the course of my career.
3. What advice would you give to other women looking to express themselves creatively, particularly in fields that are traditionally male-dominated?
When asked this, I often find myself in hot water because many popular male poets make a fortune writing “for” women and filtering our experiences through the male gaze. To me, they’re just putting words in our mouths. Who can capture our experiences better, more accurately, and more transparently than us? Our creative expression is powerful and necessary; it paves the way for future generations, enriches the diversity of any field, and keeps our stories authentic and honest.
We must tell our stories so that others can’t muck them up, water them down, rewrite history, or turn us into tropes.
4. What role do you think poetry plays in addressing societal issues and fostering empathy and understanding?
Poets are observers and, by some definition, reporters. We are reporters of what we not only see playing out in front of us, but reporters of what we feel. \ This comes with a significant responsibility. We document the outward and the inward. We document the invisible weight of everything, too.
5. How has your work been received by readers, and what kind of feedback have you found most meaningful or impactful?
Writing about what I write about, I feel a huge responsibility to handle the topics with care. People who connect to my writing are often not in the happiest places in their lives; they are often in crisis or have gone through something traumatic.
At least a few times a month, I receive a private message from a reader telling me that my book helped them after a suicide attempt or even helped them to make the decision not to attempt that day. I don’t have the words to articulate the weight of these messages. On other days, I get messages from people who share the sad news that their partner or child or parent or friend passed from a drug overdose.
And I know that feeling. Of feeling so alone in your pain or grief that you feel like no one could ever understand. But, simultaneously, you never stop searching for someone who has “been there.”
My social media platform and essays are found by people looking for a soft place to land. At speaking events, some families gift me things from the kids they’ve lost to drug addiction.
On a less “heavy” point, April is National Poetry Month and I noticed that this past April, so many schools developed lessons inspired by my work and I was so taken aback because I couldn’t believe this was happening! Some schools had me in to run workshops or speak. And it was such a lovely experience.
6. What are some upcoming projects or goals you have in your creative journey?
I have one big project I am working on that I am very excited to announce later in the summer.
7. In moments of self-doubt or creative block, what strategies do you use to reignite your inspiration and motivation?
I seek out boredom when I have a creative block. Boredom is a lost art. It’s really only when I give myself the space to do NOTHING that my brain opens back up and creativity starts flowing again. Sometimes this can be just sitting on the couch. Going for a walk or a run. Going for a drive to nowhere. I can talk for days on end about this. BRING BACK BOREDOM!
8. Can you share a bit about your process of connecting each poem in your “poetry mixtape” series with a corresponding song, and how this enhances the reader’s experience?
I always knew I wanted to create a poetry book that really tied together with music. My poetry mixtape series includes “Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately,” “Sorry I Haven’t Texted You Back,” and “The Music Was Just Getting Good.” Each book is designed the same way: like a cassette mixtape, which is something I grew up making before CDs and MP3s. So, the nostalgia is there, of course, which could immediately pull a reader in.
Each poem includes a “currently listening to” song, which the reader could listen to. When I am connecting the poems to songs, it usually happens one of two ways. 1) a song might have inspired me to write the poem in the first place or 2) I match it after the fact to drive the theme home. This enhances the poem in some way, and it might even introduce the reader to an artist they didn’t know or remind them of a song they used to love.
9. What does success mean to you personally, both in your creative endeavors and in life in general?
I know I’ve made a positive difference in the lives of strangers and I know the people who love me are proud of me. What else could I ask for?
10. Finally, what message or legacy do you hope to leave through your poetry and your contributions to the literary world?
I received a literary award in March, and in my keynote, I said this: “My words are my legacy and will exist long after I am gone. I hope I am remembered as someone who grasped the weight of responsibility inherent in writing about my chosen subjects. I hope I am remembered as someone who consistently exhibited kindness, even amidst personal struggles. Really, I hope at the end of the day that I am simply…remembered.”
https://publishing.andrewsmcmeel.com/authors/alicia-cook
