Interview # 6: David Subacchi

 

 



 

 

 



Sincerely Art --- Interview Series

Sy Albright interviews David Subacchi --- poet/author

https://www.writeoutloud.net/profiles/davidsubacchi

SA: The first thing I noticed was that you are an Italian from a family that emigrated to Wales. That tale probably merits an interview unto itself. Often writers have backgrounds that propel their writing. Is your unique journey a foundation of your writing?

DS: Yes it is. I was born in Wales but all my blood is Italian. I feel both Welsh and Italian which is great, but also it means that the journey of self-discovery that all poets undertake, is more complex. This comes out in my writing, where certainly in my first two published poetry collections it is plain that the poetry veers between Wales and Italy, in terms of influence and subject matter. Later collections take a wider view and tackle a greater range of topics, but Italy is always there bubbling under and sometimes coming to the surface,  perhaps in a less obvious way.

 

SA:  ‘Took me too long to find out

I was a poet through and through,

 

So now I carve words non stop,
 

Just to try and take after you’.

 

These lines are from your poem “For My Father” published by Ariel Chart in July 2018. This poem was nominated by Ariel Chart for the Best of the Net Award for Poetry. Please expound on the fuller meaning of these poignant words.

DS: My father was a huge influence in my life. He had endured the horrors of war fare in North Africa and Italy during WW2 and his story telling of those days is deeply imprinted in my mind. In Wales his work as a restaurant owner, was very hands on and physically demanding, so I saw much less of him than my son sees of me today. After he retired, the family thought that he would be unhappy because he never had the time for any hobbies or pastimes. To our delight and surprise, he began wood carving, a skill he had learned at school in Italy in Cremona in the 1930s. Despite having carved very little for a very long time, his work was exceptional and was widely praised. The poem “For My Father” celebrates this, but also is tinged with sadness, because my writing only blossomed after his death seven years ago, so he never got to read my poetry. You can work the rest out!

 

SA: Mr. Rossi’s Ariel Chart is one of the only publications that seek to publish poetry in languages spoken by smaller-sized cultures. Last year he managed to get a poem in Icelandic. Are there many opportunities for literature written in Welsh?

DS: Wales is a very small country and only about 20% of the population speaks the ancient Welsh Language although it is growing in popularity amongst young people. There is a flourishing cultural scene in Wales, but writers and poets have to work very hard to get attention, because of the limited number of readers and the competition. I was personally delighted that Mr. Rossi actually asked me to provide the Welsh language version of this poem as well as the English one. It reflects very well on him and I think also the readers of Ariel Chart. The reaction I have received here at Ariel Chart’s publication of this poem, has been tremendous. I’m really pleased and grateful.

SA: I am always curious if a writer believes in an artistic philosophy or are they simply writing where the muse brings their heart and mind. What are your thoughts on this?

DS: The only artistic philosophy that I adhere to is my own. I believe in writing poetry that is accessible and that conveys a message clearly to the reader whilst also moving the heart and mind. I am totally disinterested in literary elites who wallow in complexity and by doing so restrict the influence of their writing to those of a similar disposition. My poetry is for everyone.

SA: I have come across poets who for whatever reason won’t read their work in public. They abstain from poetry jams, café readings, etc. Do you participate in readings? And if so, what you think it does for poetry?

DS: Yes I participate in readings very actively. If you search for videos on line under my name, there are many examples of my performance poetry that can be viewed. I do think however that audiences deserve a well prepared performance, the best you can do. This is one of the reasons I usually read my poetry on stage, rather than try and commit it all to memory! However if you do without the paper and do it well, then good luck!  Reading in public often brings poems to life and enhances their meaning by the way they are delivered, the tone of voice, expression etc. Some poems however are just not suitable for reading out loud and are better enjoyed by readers ‘on the page’.

 

SA: After consuming a great deal of poetry I noticed rhyme is a very difficult task indeed. Like liquor maybe it needs to be done in moderation. You are the poet. What are your feelings on this rhyme versus free verse friendly debate?

DS: Good question. I write in both free verse and traditional forms that include rhyme. The use of rhyme if done well is a very powerful tool and can often raise the quality of a poem and add to its power.  On the other hand if it is done poorly, then the effect is the very opposite and the listener/reader is annoyed or even tortured by what simply amounts to ‘wordplay’.  Some find this entertaining e.g. the poet speaking as fast as he/she can to demonstrate wordplay, or the repetition of the same type of rhyme or pattern for too long. These things are not for me.

 

SA: Your writing bio indicates you belong to a few writing clubs or organizations. How does membership of these places promote your writing?

DS: All writing clubs are different and have something useful to offer. Most of all the interaction with other writers and poets is really helpful. Some clubs like to analyse and critique your work, suggesting changes and improvements. Others just like to hear and read your work and provide feedback on what they like or don’t like. I find that poetry people are mostly very positive and supportive, regardless of what sort of clubs and groups they belong to.

 

SA: Please list your past and present literary influences.

DS: I was at school in the 1960s and so influenced heavily by the Bible, Shakespeare and Dickens. Also T S Eliot (an American in Britain!), Byron, Blake, Shelley, Keats, Yeats, Auden, Dylan Thomas, R S Thomas, Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath.

Today I am something of a magpie with modern poets, taking a bit here and a bit there, very often from poets I see perform their work or that I meet, so I’m not going to name any, if that is allowed!