Meet Ash Raymond James | Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ash Raymond James and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ash, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Poetry needs help with identity. If the classics don’t define it, then it’s typically defined by the micro subgenre, but there is a lot of middle ground. Its lack of a strict definition makes it hard for some people to engage in it and truly test its waters. I suspect this is why writing about what poetry is has become a popular sport.

It is so vast. Honestly, there are so many side genres to it. I still have people asking me if poetry has to rhyme or whether their words have to follow any structure, and the answer is no. They do not have to follow any ruling. This is called free verse poetry, and haiku, sonnet, and ‘ABAB’ rhyme scheme poems still exist, but it has evolved so much since they were prominent. There is no limit to poetry, and there are endless examples of writers pushing the boundaries of what is considered a poem.

Poetry feels like multiple genres pushed into one. Slam isn’t a style of poetry per se. It’s more of a competition, but it’s become a style. It’s become a genre. Micro, slam, performance, and the gazillion forms are arguably genres. Poetry suffers from being pigeonholed to a single word. Rupi Kaur and Neil Hilborn fall into the poetry category but differ greatly. There are too many poets to recommend, but try Anis Mojgani, Jon Sands, Victoria Chang, Rudy Fransisco, Danez Smith, or Sabrina Benaim. They all have a different feel, and you can begin to understand what I mean when I say poetry is a long stretching field. I get perplexed when people say they don’t like it. It’s like saying you don’t enjoy movies. That may be true, but I can guarantee I can find a film you will enjoy. Some people quickly dismiss poetry because of some preexisting expectations, but they still hang quote posters in their kitchens. I find that funny.

Either way, I want to continue pushing it, though. I want to write a murder mystery poetry book, but I do not know how that would work. I am working on a poetry western, which has been challenging, but I like going beyond the known and comfortable. There is more to poetry than meets the eye, so please give it more attention. There is a high chance you will find something that resonates with you. There is more here than what they put in the school curriculum or the six-word poems you see on Instagram. Dozens upon dozens of poets deserve so much more attention; it is time they get it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have fallen in love with performance. I have done slams for many years, but slams are a different beast. They feel more pressured and heavy. They feel more cutthroat, which is still a fun environment, but the performance that has the ability to contrast a set with fun and serious poems is my favourite. I don’t think everything you perform or put into the world has to be something with a massive message at its core. There is always a place for nonsensical work with a focus on fun. I pride myself on altering my style and achieving multiple tones. I spoke earlier about doing a Western poetry book that requires altering my preexisting voice. I constantly push myself and tell everybody around me that there is always room for creative growth. There is always something to learn. I never allow myself to get too comfortable and settle for a cadence or a type of writing. I want to keep going forward, and some things don’t land, but that’s okay; that is part of figuring it out.

Whatever you are doing, push yourself and keep moving, even if it leads you into a scary place you are unfamiliar with. Find the new ground and plant seeds there. Water it and see what it becomes. I cannot promise it will be a beanstalk because some things won’t pan out how we wanted them to, but that is okay. Don’t get discouraged. Every single failure is a success because it teaches us something. Allow yourself to learn those lessons instead of being dragged down by the disappointment. You only find your voice by hearing what your voice isn’t. It is the same principle of people being afraid of being themselves because they will be perceived as weird or have this fear of being judged, but honestly, the world needs more weirdos. We need people who are doing odd art and challenging the norms. There is so much pressure to be good, which limits us. Not every idea you have will start ‘good,’ but does it have the potential to get there? That is the question you should be asking. Always strive to get better and to step into new territory. I run a mini-podcast, ‘ The Weird Table’, which encourages this. It is a workshop that takes under ten minutes and pushes people to write in different ways.

I also do the strangest of things. I put out Halloween zines and character poems; they are so much fun. I need to figure out how they all connect, but I have this world in my head. I have these characters called Weatherman Dave and Gabby the Ghost, who are just parts of me funnelled through fictional lenses. The Halloween zines focus on the character ‘The Hangman,’ and I have a novella for him. I like concepts and fictional worlds. My second book was a space documentary on myself. When I put it out, I put out these audio recordings I called ‘Digitapes,’ which were like found footage, and I put a load of reverb and static on them to make it sound broken. I do special edition books in VHS cases. I adore projects and ensuring everything I put into the world is different because I love giving people something they have never experienced. There are also easter eggs in all of my work. Hidden nods to those I love. I make art to push that creativity within me into new realms.

Please challenge what we are used to. Create something so out of this world that people can’t help but pay attention to it. If you ever think, ‘This idea is too weird’ or ‘This could work,’ then chase it. With performance and projects, I find that the stuff I convince myself won’t work actually ends up working. I recently wrote a really silly and loud poem called ‘Hard Hats’, and I have never done it on stage because I never thought the audience would enjoy it. However, it was a riot, and I was totally wrong. Be brave and do that thing you have been putting off. There are no failures. Push through the fear; what is on the other side is typically revolutionary.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As readers will be seeing this from all across the globe, I want to attempt to do this thing where I don’t specify a city, but I tell you, wherever you are right now, where to go. Even if I haven’t been to your city or know where you are, here is your itinerary. I want you to go out there right now, use Google, find yourself a small coffee shop, and give it a go. Get in the car, pick a direction, and just drive until you hit a town or a village you haven’t been to with shops and explore. Stop and treat yourself if you see a food truck along the way. Find a local and ask them where the good walks are. Do anything that pushes you out of your ordinary. I love to search museums and see which ones are the weirdest. I think we need an app for that. Weird little Museums near you.

I have been to a bean, a cheese, a pen, and a pencil museum, and there seem to be some stranger ones out there. Washington has an International Spy Museum, which is a freaking blast. There is even a Museum of Bad Art in Somerville. Go out into the world with the excitement of Christopher Columbus trying to discover a new land, even if that new land is a new grilled cheese restaurant. You don’t need a plan. I know that might seem scary, but trust me, from somebody who is autistic, no plan can be scary, but the best things I have found I haven’t planned to see.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I struggle with acknowledgements for my books because I fear forgetting people. This has been such a long journey, and I am not short of praise for the people who helped me get here. I say it in my poetry and daily chats; if people matter to me, I tell them. I DM my favourite artists and confess my love for them. If a piece of work affects, inspires, or causes me to create something, then that person will know about it. Neil Hilborn got me into performance poetry, and I do workshops with him, and I ensure he knows how much I appreciate him. I tell Tyler Knott Gregson how much I love him daily. He is now my best friend. I am not afraid to go directly to an artist and tell them they did something special because I know from being an artist that it means so much.

If this is any indication, I would be terrible at a reward speech. I would do something funny or silly. I am British and raised on the principles of insults being introductions, and if you aren’t joking around with each other, then is it even love? Too many people have helped me along this journey, and I cannot express my gratitude enough to them, but they know who they are and how much they mean to me.

Website: www.ashraymondjames.com

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