Poetry can change society! That is what Marluce Lima is eager to spread: kindness in the form of poetry to make the world a better place.
Born in São Paulo, the 29-year-old Brazilian poet is living in Dublin for four, where she has developed her career not only as a writer but also as a photographer and videomaker. Since then, she has published some poems in an anthology called ‘Trinta e Dois Quilos” (32 kilos) by the Brazilian Publisher Urutau (with another Brazilians and Polish Portuguese` speaker poets). For next month, she will be launching, by the same publisher, a book which is based on her last year journal notes.
At the moment, she is taking part in two great projects; the creation – with friends – of the website and Youtube channel Italics and as a volunteer in the Brazil Clowning Project, which she leads a workshop of expression through poetry.
The Circular talk to her about her work and plans. Read the interview below the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFvK90S_BHk&t=16s
When did you find yourself as a poet?
I found myself as a poet in my 7 or 8 years old, back to school, especially in Math’s class where I was easily distracted by the verses which were coming to my mind. But I never thought this was important or possible. We only learn at school about dead poets, so it made me feel that I could be a poet just after I die. Then, only when I came to Dublin, four years ago, I found space to my words and I met people in the same situation as mine, and people who made me believe in myself, so I assumed myself as a poet, and I am walking in this path.
Was that a change in your life?
Definitely! I realised that I wasn’t a happy person, I was going to the same direction of all the other people who have no target (study, work, study more, work more, get married, buy a house, die).
Now, I found a reason to keep myself alive because I know where I am going to.
What inspires you to write?
Everything, even at this right moment, when I can watch the tears of Dublin’s clouds, then I will take my journal and write about it.
What is the importance of poetry in the transformation of society?
I think when we can poetically see the world, everything can be transformed, our beauties, our ugliness, our dark and light thoughts. When you write poetry, you will use your senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing) and this makes us live the present, the moment, the meaning.
Using that, and also our memories, we can go deep into ourselves and understand that we are all perfectly imperfect and maybe we can get closer to understand the world.
I believe as well that creativity and imagination are essential for people, is a way to release ourselves from the rough part of living and we can do it not only with poetry but with another way to do art.
Do you take part in projects with this purpose? What is your contribution to these projects?
I have many ideas to put in practice soon; the very first one is a website that I am creating with friends who loves writing as well, this is going to be a space for those who like me before, didn’t believe we can live poetically. And at this moment I am part of the Brazil Clowning Project, idealised by Karina Pereira, who I have the honour to be a friend.
What is the first step in becoming a volunteer in these projects?
Letting your mind open to learning, and seek for change.
