Flaire Alfrey

Speaker 1 00:02

This is a Vision Australia Radio podcast.

Speaker 2 00:18

On Vision Australia Radio, welcome to our conversations on the work and experiences of emerging writers. I'm Kate Cooper and our guest on today's program is Flaire Alfrey, spoken word poet and student. In May 2024, Flaire performed some of her poetry at the inaugural Poetry at the Port event, which is being held on the second Thursday of each month at Millage's Distillation in Port Adelaide, and is where we caught up.

Welcome to the program Flaire. Would you begin by telling us where you grew up and what that place means to you now?

Speaker 3 00:57

Hello! I grew up in Adelaide which does hold a very special place in my heart. It's where I have cherished memories from my childhood, however as I've explored more of Australia's countryside I've developed a deep appreciation for nature over city life. While I don't dislike the city, it can sometimes feel uninspiring. Embracing the natural landscapes has really invigorated my creativity and brought me a sense of peace.

Speaker 2 01:27

I'd like to follow that up with a question that I've been asking other poets on this program. Flaire, what are your earliest memories of working creatively?

Speaker 3 01:37

I've always had a creative streak. My dad loves to say I have been drawing on walls before I could walk. I began writing though at 14 but kept it hidden because I thought expressing my emotions was kind of cringy as all teenagers think. The real spark came when I watched Asia May Rocks poem The Truth About Being A Girl. It was both captivating and a bit intimidating and it really inspired me to embrace my creativity.

Speaker 2 02:05

So you were inspired by another poet. What is it now about poetry that keeps you drawn to this form of expression?

Speaker 3 02:15

Poetry began as a way for me to privately navigate my emotions and experiences without fear of judgement. Over time, it evolved into something much more. It became a means to explore my identity, connect with other people, and understand and romanticise the world around me. Poetry allows me to articulate complex emotions that I struggled to express otherwise.

Speaker 2 02:41

That's a lovely way of describing it. Thank you. Would you tell us about other favourite poets who have inspired you?

Speaker 3 02:51

The two main poets that have inspired me are Celia Martinez and Whitney Hansen. Both are modern poets who use vivid imagery and tackle relatable topics today. They have an observant nature and provide deep insights into the world around them. Their work not only resonates with my own experience, but also broadens my understanding of different perspectives. Their poetry has a unique way of connecting with readers, making complex emotions and everyday experiences feel universally significant.

Speaker 2 03:25

How did you first hear about those poets? Where did you come across them?

Speaker 3 03:30

I came across them online on Instagram and TikTok actually. Yeah, they both started recording their poems vividly and I suppose they spoke the ones that they were going to put in a book. And I thought that was very inspiring to see both very different styled poets put their work out and pour their emotions into it both about love and grief. It was beautiful.

Speaker 2 04:02

It must take a lot of courage to put work on social media.

Speaker 3 04:08

Yes, yeah, I definitely think so. I haven't put my own work on social media yet, but I definitely love to soon, especially with my book coming out.

Speaker 2 04:20

Yes, and we must talk about that during the program. Flaire, we mentioned in the introduction that you're a spoken word poet who performed at the inaugural Poetry at the Port event. So what inspired you to first start performing your poetry at spoken word events?

Speaker 3 04:39

The idea of performing my poetry started as kind of a romanticised notion. As I said before, it's a great way to meet people and form connections. Of watching them online, I was struck by how their words seemed to come alive in a text on page really couldn't match. I still cherish written word. The ability to craft intricate imagery and subtle narratives is astounding to me, but spoken word has a different kind of magic. It's like the difference between reading a play and watching it perform live. Performing poetry adds layers of meaning and emotion that can't be captured on page.

Speaker 2 05:19

And certainly as someone who's not a poet but who enjoys going to spoken word poetry events, I do sense that for example when I was listening to you and the other poets at the Poetry at the Port event, what you conveyed really struck me in ways that I think if I'd been reading it on paper, it wouldn't have had quite the same impact. And do you find that yourself when you're listening to other poets at poetry events that you also find those other layers of meaning from their work?

Speaker 3 05:54

Yes, definitely there's a lot of, as Luke Baker would say, texture in their writing but also their performance, how they've softly spoken it or if they have a little bit of a groove. In there it's the rhythm and personally I like to choreograph silence into my poetry to really grab people's attention. At that specific event I choreographed silence when I said something slightly controversial and then it really grabbed people's attention but once I started explaining what I was thinking it seemed like specifically the women there related a lot more. It felt like a really beautiful connection was forming with a lot of the women there. This is amazing.

Speaker 2 06:46

And I certainly remember that and it's that connection and the way that you did use silence to captivate the audience. Every so often I hear wonderful expressions on this program and your idea of choreographing silence, those words, choreograph and silence, go together beautifully, I would never have thought of it. What made you think of that expression?

Speaker 3 07:13

I used to learn music as a kid. I did piano for 10 years and it was something my piano teacher Nick taught at me and because there was a lot of breaks between the notes as I just wanted to keep playing the notes. He was like, Silence is important. Remember silence. Everything is more captivated with silence. The piece with music, silence is just as important as the notes there, as the music there. He told me that it grabbed people's attention. If you were silent for a long time and just observe, you'll really notice how the music was made and which chords and notes are being played to captivate everyone's emotions, whether it's happy, sad, either you want to make people dance or cry. Both are quite important so when you put silence in there it will really break up the whole audience.

Speaker 2 08:32

And what you're also doing is enabling people to observe with their senses. So they're observing with their ears but also with their emotions.

Speaker 3 08:42

Yes, exactly, absolutely.

Speaker 2 08:44

That's very powerful and are there other ways in which you think your studies of music when you were younger have influenced the way you craft your poetry?

Speaker 3 08:57

Possibly, I like to specifically with spoken word poetry is to incorporate rhythm and rhyme like songwriting. I like to incorporate rhythm and rhyme into my poetry so it would create that sense of fun in there if that would make sense.

Speaker 2 09:22

It does, it does very much. And going back to talking about performing your poetry, for many people it would be really, really nerve-wracking to start performing poetry in public. What experiences can you share about how you prepare for a performance and manage any feelings of nervousness?

Speaker 3 09:45

Preparing for performances is still something I'm figuring out. I've only done two in the past year or my whole life I suppose. Well, I embrace the nerves and follow the mantra, fake it till you make it. Watching experienced poets again like Luke Baker has taught me the importance of memorising poems and delivering them with, again, texture. I haven't tried all the techniques, like imagining the audience naked. It seems more modifying than helpful. Instead, I focus on grounding myself, taking deep breaths. And remembering that nervousness is universal. People are usually more focused on their performances anyway.

Speaker 2 10:33

The breathing sounds like a very good idea and others have said that they focus in on their breathing and it just slows them down and keeps them in the moment.

Speaker 3 10:44

Yes, definitely. I've read about box breathing, taking four seconds to breathe in and then four seconds to breathe out and imagine your drawing a box with your breath and it really grounds you and you feel your emotions and it encourages you to take the step into your performance.

Speaker 2 11:10

That's an excellent suggestion. Next time I'm worried about something, I'm going to stop and imagine drawing a box with my breath. I've not heard that before ever, but that would be a really good way of slowing yourself down just even for a few moments. Yeah, or maybe even imagining drawing a flower or whatever it might be. That's a really good suggestion. Thank you for that. Of course. Flare, would you perform one of your poems for us now?

Speaker 3 11:42

Of course, I would love to. This one is inspired by a writer online. His name is Achilles, and he writes in a very similar sense of style. 

Wind swells around the black top, pulling at a spectre's feet and streaming a celestial's figure's ankle. Her light flickers like the neon sign at the corner store where I bought the poison to my guts, now rushing down the drain. Smoke stings my eyes and her voice is a fractured melody, haunting and raw. Look what I've found. Look what I've ruined. Look what I've become. Look what I've destroyed. When you speak, my lungs fill with ash. Please forgive the smoke. It's love. My jacket smells like a rogue villain. My voice is worn from battling descent. We often fight each other so long, we forget why we started. But I never tasted redemption until I tasted you.

Speaker 2 12:48

It's very beautiful. Has a beautiful rhythm to it. Thank you. On Vision Australia Radio, you're listening to our conversation program Emerging Writers. Our guest today is Flaire Alfrey, spoken word poet and student. There is a question I'd like to ask about how you go about creating your works. Do you have a favourite place where you like to write? Does it vary?

Speaker 3 13:18

It definitely varies. I usually write in my bedroom but my favourite place to write is in nature. It's peaceful and I love writing in isolated spots like the woods or the beach. Natural beauty helps me connect with my thoughts and emotions on a deeper level. Not just that, I usually love to write around people I love. I used to write a lot around my ex-partner who was a significant muse for me. But since I broke up I've been a bit in a writing slump because I lost a source of inspiration. I've realised I write best when I'm surrounded by people who matter to me.

Speaker 2 14:00

And so when you're surrounded by nature you're listening to bird sounds if you're in a park, you probably got children playing, dogs barking, those kinds of sounds. Yes. So some people have said they like writing with music in the background, others have said they need absolute silence. It sounds like you're more flexible in terms of what's going on in the background provided that you've got that love or the beauty of nature to inspire you.

Speaker 3 14:34

Definitely. I like the ambient noise in the background. Hearing children laugh is a big inspiration to me. I often write what I see around me as well or what I've experienced or am experiencing at the time.

Speaker 2 14:55

And that's a beautiful knack that poets have of taking their everyday observations through all of their senses and creating something special and beautiful out of them. Yes, I definitely think so too. We spoke before about how your studies of music influenced your poetry. How about your experiences of performing your poetry? You mentioned that you're quite new to that. You've done a couple of performances. How has that influenced the way you create your work, do you think?

Speaker 3 15:34

When it comes to spoken word, I really pay attention to how the words sound, like the rhythm when spoken aloud. I find that choreographing, again, moments of silence is incredibly powerful, so I like to include those in my work. In both poetry on page and spoken word, I really like to create that sense of imagery and get the audience or reader to really feel like they're in the poem. Each medium has its own strengths and my experience in performing poetry has made me more versatile in how I approach my work. It allows me to see things from different perspectives.

Speaker 2 16:27

Well, would just share with us your reflections on being part of the community of spoken word poets in Adelaide?

Speaker 3 16:34

It's an incredible experience. It's amazing to meet like -minded creative people. It is a consistent wellspring of inspiration and encouragement. It offers the continual journey of learning and a fresh outlook on various topics or innovative ways of expressing ideas. Every poet contributes a distinct viewpoint, voice and life experience. Interacting with the community has spurred personal growth. I like how we all challenge and uplift one another and mutual respect that is truly enriching to me is something I cherish deeply. Diversity is so so special.

Speaker 2 17:23

It certainly is, and I've said on this program before when speaking with other poets that I've been struck by what an incredibly friendly and supportive community it is. You know as someone going in as an audience member I've always felt very welcomed by the community but I've watched the interactions among poets and everyone is just so encouraging. That must really help a lot when you're just starting out.

Speaker 3 17:51

Yes, definitely. The first poetry event that I went to was the Friendly Street Poets event. It was quite beautiful there and at first I did feel kind of out of place because there was not a younger person in my size. But when I got up there they asked if I was new to it and I said yes I'm very new to it and they gave a huge round of applause for even going up on stage. And that really helped my nerves calm down a lot.

Speaker 2 18:32

Fantastic. And Flaire, when you're not writing or performing your poetry, what do you like doing?

Speaker 3 18:41

I love exploring other forms of creative expression, particularly artwork. I'm currently really into psychedelic art inspired by artists like Alex Gray. Recently I completed a folio that connected my artwork to the philosophy of stoicism. It was a fascinating project that allowed me to blend visual art with philosophical concepts, creating something deeply personal and thought provoking to other people. I also spend a lot of time in nature going on walks and hikes is one of my favorite ways to clear my mind and find inspiration. There's something about being in outdoors surrounded by natural beauty that rejuvenates my spirit and sparks my creativity. Whether it's the tranquility of a forest or the vastness of a mountain range, nature really does provide a perfect backdrop for reflection and inspiration.

Speaker 2 19:43

Can I ask why the Stoics, what it was about Stoicism that appealed to you to make that connection between art and philosophy?

Speaker 3 19:54

When I was doing this project, I was really dabbling in different religions and philosophies. And I've always been a very spiritual person and a very sensitive and emotional person. So putting logic into my emotions really structured my thoughts and did actually help with my poetry. I went to a Catholic school, St. Aloysius College, a school of mercy that had core values and throughout that I've always explored my own core values. One of their main values was hospitality and compassion and justice. Justice really struck me, their sense of righteousness and that's how I kind of related that to Stoicism as their main component of their philosophy is wisdom, justice, temperance. 

And I heard it for the first time when I started writing poetry at 14 and I thought, well that sounds interesting but not interesting for me enough to go into that because I really thought they were all just macho men ignoring their emotions when really it was just about having those emotions and figuring out what to do with that next. And I felt like because artwork was a way for me to cope with my emotions that Stoicism deserves their own art pieces. There's a lot of statues of Marcus Aurelius but there's not many paintings that really reflect their philosophical concepts. So when I was doing this project I looked at artists like Piero della Francesca who was I think a Resonance artist who did very religious Christian artworks very realistic and I wanted to kind of embrace that but I wanted to use a bit of creativity and focus on Stoicism and how that relates to other religions as well.

Speaker 2 22:42

Flaire, your project sounds absolutely amazing. Congratulations on that. 

Speaker 3

Thank you. 

Speaker 2

You are a student now. Would you tell us about what you're studying and what plans you have for when you complete your studies?

Speaker 3 22:57

Currently I am a student at UniSA and I'm currently pursuing a Bachelor of Laws Honours and a Bachelor of Arts focusing in Sociology. My passion lies in advocating for young people and my goal is to channel the passion into youth work and political advocacy. For me this was really inspired by Victor E. Frankel's man search for meaning. I believe that everyone regardless of age needs to find meaning in their lives no matter how small. The conviction drives me to advocate for services that support young people not only financially but also spiritually and mentally in navigating today's societies.

Once I complete my studies I aspire to combine my legal and sociological knowledge to actively engage in youth advocacy and policy making. My ultimate aim is to inspire young people to carve out their own paths in this world and to empower them to pursue their passions and dreams and live consciously in this world. A conscious world is I think necessary to really embrace the life that we have.

Speaker 2 24:21

Very beautifully put. That is a powerful book, Victor Frankl's book about the search for meaning. I remember also reading it many, many years ago and it certainly does stay with you but I would never have expressed it as beautifully as you have. Thank you for that. Wonderful insights that you're sharing with us. Before we finish, would you tell us what you're working on now as well as your studies and what you're looking forward to?

Speaker 3 24:49

Currently I'm immersed in creating my upcoming poetry book, Bitter Fruits of Barrenness. It's a deeply personal project that delves into my life, expressed through poetry, and I'll really be focusing on how people read the poems, kind of inspired by the House of Leaves where you kind of have to go to a mirror and flip the book around to read what it actually says. Getting people engaged in tasks to learn about my life, but also relate it to them as well because it's very much about love, grief, loss, and being a young person in today's society. While I can't reveal too many details yet, I can really assure you that it's shaping up to be something truly extraordinary. It will hopefully be done by the end of this year or the beginning of next year.

Speaker 2 26:06

Flaire, we would really love to have you back on the program when your book does come out to share some of your poems with us.

Speaker 3 26:14

Of course, I'd love to come back.

Speaker 2 26:16

Brilliant, thank you so much. Our guest on Emerging Writers today was Flaire Alfrey, spoken word poet and student. 

This program is produced in our Adelaide studios and can be heard at the same time each week here on Vision Australia Radio, VA Radio on Digital, online at varadio.org and also on Vision Australia Radio Podcasts where you can catch up on earlier episodes.

Speaker 1 27:00

Thanks for listening to this Vision Australia Radio podcast. Don't forget to subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. Visit varadio.org for more.

Speaker 3 27:10

Vision Australia Radio - Blindness, Low Vision, Opportunity.