The Controversial Writer Returns to The Buzz

The Controversial Writer Returns to The Buzz
March 6th, 2008

(You probably smiled when you saw this title!)My last posted poem created another buzz among my curious readers. They were saddened, affected and wondered what is going on with me. So Boy Abunda invited me again to guest in their show for a live one-on-one interview, as few of my readers find it very critical for me explain further my latest post.

BA: Welcome again to The Buzz. Let’s talk about you new poem “My Lonely Road to Amazing Grace.” As your reader, I’m so used to your “happy” writings. As I read this one, it choked me and made me teary-eyed a little bit. Why write something so sad all of a sudden?

CZ: I’m really flattered that you got carried away by it. I wanted to explore all possibilities as a writer. I don’t want only be known as witty and funny in my writings, which could be boring in the long run. The experience of the “sad emotion” is the main inspiration of this poem.

BA: Is this based on a personal experience?

CZ: I’d say this poem is based on my spiritual experience that I kind of dramatized in my poetry.

BA: How did you write this poem and how much time do you spend in writing?

CZ: I only wrote this poem in 10 minutes or less while eating ice cream and watching American Idol. But just like an actress, I have to internalize the emotion and sink in to the character to be able to say the lines or write effectively. That process took a while. I spend one or two nights a week writing stuffs in between laundry loads, watching TV and playing with my puppies. It’s my passion and I love it when I have a chance to do it.

BA: It is actually pretty cool that you can write creatively. It’s different from other blogs that I’ve read before. What other forms of emotions will you be writing about?

CZ: I’d like to interpret in my writings the strongest of all human emotions like love, joy, fear, and sorrow. I’m currently composing a short horror fiction right now but my wild imagination is starting to scare me. It’s about a Shih Tzu afraid of its own poop. I’m also thinking of trying erotic poetry. Lily came up with that idea, and I think it’s not bad to try. She’s only 8 months old. I have no idea how she came up with the word “erotic.”

BA: Why Amazing Grace? After your “lonely road” trip, are you there yet?

CZ: “Amazing Grace” is my favorite Christian song that made so much impact on me. It makes me shiver just thinking about it and singing it on my mind. I’ve reached the Amazing Grace land long time ago. I’m living in it and cherishing every minute of it. It’s the lonely road that made it so meaningful to me. I believe that happiness is meaningless if there is no sadness. Just like love is worthless without sacrifice.

BA: You simply stunned me there for a minute. How do you define love?

CZ: Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (1 Cor. 13:7-8) It’s very powerful.