Dominican Writer Sofía Estévez Shares Her Poetry and Her Thoughts on the Pandemic
To call Sofía Estévez just a poet is an understatement. The Dominican poet is also a Spanish teacher, translator, editor, a short story writer, and a mother. She earned an MA in Foreign Languages at George Mason University and lives in Alexandria with her son Felipe and her dog Marcella.
Last year, she published her first collection of poems, Los abrojos del bien, and participated in the anthology Mirando al Sur, Antología desde el exilio with two short stories. Her poems have appeared in local newspapers and magazines. Sofia has also presented her work in Mexico, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic. She is part of the literary collective Alta Hora de La Noche, a group of poets that meets up the last Friday of every month at El Salvador consulate. You can find more about the group here.
You can buy Sofía’s book here and follow her on Instagram @sofia_estevez02 or on Facebook, where she constantly posts her work.
What does Dignidad Literaria mean to you?
It means a voice of justice for the writers and editors in the Latinx community. Without the efforts of DL many authors and their works will be kept invisible and their stories will be told by others, silencing their voices and taking away their right to tell them with authenticity, it is to me, an act of colonization.
Can you share with us a couple of sentences that you were going to read during the Dignidad Literaria event that got canceled?
Me gustaría que supieras
que nosotras queremos lo mejor para nuestros hijos,
tal como tú,
que hemos cruzado desiertos, ríos y océanos
cargando a nuestros niños en pechos y espaldas
que nos montamos en yolas, buses y La Bestia
y viajamos por días interminables sin comida, ni agua, ni cobija.
Que otras veces, mandamos a nuestros chiquillos solitos
-miles de kilómetros- a estas tierras extrañas
con nuestras bendiciones y escapularios de escudo
porque ellos se merecen una vida mejor,
tal como los tuyos.
Can you tell us more about your journey as a poet?
I started reading poetry at a very young age, then I started writing, it was not planned. It was a force I couldn’t control and wanted to express itself and play with words. I kept these poems to myself.
In college, I studied French, Spanish and Latin American literature, and I started writing again and participating in literary events. Many of the poems in the book are from that time; others are more recent.
The inspiration of my poems is usually something that strikes me, a phrase that resonates, the contemplation of nature or my interpretation of an art piece, then the poem finds its way. Words are pearls or weapons, I try to place them in such a way that they create an image, mostly through metaphors and similes; the words should have a rhythm, a flow that dances through the verses, a beauty even if the topic is horrendous, at the end the reader should shine or be wounded by those words.
Have you had many events canceled? Tell us about them
Sadly, too many in some of them I was going to participate, in others, I was planning to be a spectator: Festival del Libro Hispano de Virginia, Peña Cultural de los Viernes, Festival Cervantino, My Magic is unwritten; Versos Estivales, Maratón de la Poesía.
How is this affecting your work?
I’m a teacher, and overnight we had to start working from home, it has taken many hours to set up my classes. I like the silence I have now, but I cannot reach all my students for different circumstances in their lives.
How does your literary community normally look like? And how does it look like now?
We meet at least once a month, also go to events together; now we are meeting online, but we already participated in one poetry event that included people in different cities and countries.
Sofia and I met two years ago in a writing workshop. Here we are sharing the publication of her work.
Do you have any anxiety tips to share with the rest of us?
I practice gratitude every morning, honestly, being thankful for what I have. I love to garden, it’s a job and a therapy, it’s wonderful to see plants growing and blooming, and birds coming back to their nests. I go on long walks with my dog. I stay connected to family and friends.
How can we help you?
Participating in reading events in libraries, schools, colleges, and festivals and promoting my work.
How can you help others?
Organizing events, working as a group, reading their work and promoting it, showing solidarity with our community, creating a presence in social media and local places, teaching workshops.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Chocolate, and more chocolate.
How can we keep each other safe?
Being part of a community, knowing that we are not isolated, that we are an important part of this puzzle called life.
What are you currently reading?
I just finished The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo and several poetry books.
Any books that you would like to recommend us?
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Flamenco: Arqueología de lo Jondo by Antonio Manuel Rodríguez
Coconut Curls and Café con Leche by Tatiana Figueroa Ramírez
Vato Guanaco Loco by Mario Bencastro
Etimológicas by Luz Stella Mejía Mantilla
Corazón by Yesika Salgado
Translating Silence/ Traducir el silencio by Manuel Iris
La Mucama de Omicunlé by Rita Indiana
Sesenta días para abandonar el país by Hemil García Linares
Trabajos del reino by Yuri Herrera
Any TV shows/movies that you would like to recommend us? (We’ll add them to our social distancing list)
Just recently, after 14 years without watching TV, I watched a series on Netflix called Cuba Libre.
What type of music is in your playlist?
Jazz, Bossa Nova, flamenco, Latin American Folk Music, Madeline Peyroux, Nueva Trova Cubana, Bajo Fondo, Sabina.
Any work from home tips?
Complete a task before you move away from your desk or pick up your phone.
