Poet Samuel Miranda is Making the World a Better Poetry Place

April is officially the National Poetry Month since 1996. This year, some of us are celebrating behind our computers, phones and, I hope, behind some books. In Washington, D.C., we are proud to have a unique museum, American Poetry Museum (APM), dedicated to celebrating poetry, promoting literacy, and fostering meaningful dialogue. Samuel Miranda is one of the key writers making all of this possible.

The Puerto Rican poet has been teaching since 1992 and he currently manages the programming at APM, where he curates a reading series and exhibition series. When asked about himself, he says, “I am a multidisciplinary artist doing both visual and poetry and am privileged to be part a wonderful writing community, would not be an artist or poet in any other city. Washington D.C. is truly a wonderful place to be either.” His artwork has been exhibited in D.C., New York, Madrid, and Puerto Rico. Miranda also has an MFA in Poetry from Bennington Writing Seminars and a BA in Fine Art from Georgetown University.

Miranda has two published collections of poetry, We is that can be purchased here and Departure available here.

You can also follow him on Instagram @tres_raices_arts, Facebook or YouTube, where he posts readings of poems from both of his books. You can read more about Samuel Miranda in his interview below.

Also, feel free to support the American Poetry Museum here, so we can keep having this space that is trying to push conversations between poets, artists, musicians, and art enthusiasts. Besides, APM is the place where, eventually, the Dignidad Literaria event will happen!

What does Dignidad Literaria mean to you?
Dignidad Literaria means we tell our own stories, that we speak to the beauty in our diversity and that we push each other’s work.

What is your motto? Tell the story, the one folks don’t believe is important, cause that’s the one that needs to be told most.

Have you had any events canceled? Tell us about them
Yes, I was supposed to read at Sunday Salon in NYC a wonderful series run by Nita Noveno. Also, I had to cancel a number of events at the American Poetry Museum a space I manage in D.C. that is creating a home for poetry in D.C. the canceled events included the Dignidad Literaria event, which I was truly looking forward to.

How is this affecting your work?
I am a poet, an artist, and a high school teacher. Teaching is looking very different now, has become a space where I having to learn new ways of interacting with my students, so I have begun to tap into folks who are more familiar with online teaching and the many tools that are available. As an artist I am creating every day, making time to be in the studio and experiment, painting larger and trying new material. As a poet, I am reading and revising a good bit but that is nothing new. But now I have more time to research publishing opportunities.

How does your literary community normally look like? And how does it look like now?
My community is one I interact with regularly, since I am managing events at the American Poetry Museum the community looks like readings filled with family, and history coming together with current events. It has changed in that I can no longer physically interact with the community I love, I follow what poets are posting and comment, I reach out to folks online or by phone to check in on them and I talk to folks about possible collaborations, readings, and activities that can happen once all this is over. I am also like with my teaching exploring ways to move to a virtual platform, so talking to younger poets and poets more versed in online venues to see about continuing programming online.

Do you have any how-to-deal-with-anxiety tips to share with the rest of us?
Create, rest, cook, talk with people you love, do the things you love.

What’s your go-to comfort food?
Right now, it’s been smoked sausages with guacamole, pico de gallo and a cotija cilantro dressing.

How can we keep each other safe?
Stay home and check-in, we live in an age where we can communicate fairly easily with each other, so take some time to visit virtually, to share stories, to laugh with folks.

What are you currently reading? Any books that you would like to recommend us?
Kontemporary Amerikan Poetry by John Murillo

Cracked Calabash by Lisa Pegram

The Black Maria and Teeth by Aracelis Girmay

Magical Negro by Morgan Parker

Felon by Reginald Dwayne Betts the list goes on, so many books to read and reread.

Any TV shows/movies that you would like to recommend us? (We’ll add them to our social distancing list)
Gentefied was a lot of fun to watch.

What type of music is in your playlist?
Right now, I have my iPod on shuffle, have loaded all my old CD’s and am listening to everything. 70’s salsa, (the whole Fania catalog) some bugalu, Me’shell Ndegeocello, Bettie Davis, some bomba and plena from Puerto Rico.

Any work-from-home tips?
Take frequent breaks, stretch, breathe, step outside or look out the window as often as you can.