Interview by Angelina Esguerra
What inspired you to write this poem?
I knew I wanted to write something about my home for this Lit but I was having a hard time thinking of what specifically. I didn’t want to write the same cliche things like Carnival and the beach (although I love both those things very much). While I was scrolling on my phone looking at what the writing community on Instagram was talking about, I came across this new concept floating around called ‘the tropical gothic’. I always liked darker and macabre things, especially when it juxtaposed something that is seen as innocent and non threatening so I immediately loved the idea. I thought it was the perfect thing to base my piece around; it messes with the idea of the ‘tropical island paradise where everyone is always happy’ a lot of the Caribbean had.
Does this poem reflect any of your personal experiences?
Throughout my childhood, all the adults always told me stories of the supernatural (I have a distinct memory of my standard five teacher sitting a class of eleven and twelve year olds down and telling us about the time her primary school friend got lost and was found in a cage deep in the forested areas. Everyone assumed it was the supernatural figure of the douen that took him). I also grew up following specific rituals to protect from said supernatural forces (ie: if you came home after a certain time at night, you need to walk backwards through the door so jumbies — mischievous spirits in the Caribbean) don’t follow you in). And maybe it was just seeing things in the corner of my eye or hearing rumours of family that could deal with the dead. Basically, the supernatural and spiritually have always played a part in my life, it’s second nature to me, the same way you can write about your family or old friends.
If you could collaborate with any author, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Jamaica Kincaid. I read two of her books recently and I’m so in love with the portraits she paints of her home island and the people that inhabit it. It’s exactly what I would want to do.
Read Asia-Marie Charles’s piece “In the Forest”
Asia-Marie Charles is an international journalism student from the Caribbean. In her spare time you can find her writing, reading, watching films or (not) finishing her crochet projects.
