Poet Interview: Jax Bulstrode
Jax Bulstrode writes poems, usually about rivers or fruit or being queer. Jax has had work published in Verandah Journal, Gems Zine, Wordly Mag, and Blue Bottle journal. You can find them online at @jaxlb1234 on Instagram. Jax lives and writes in Naarm/Melbourne.
When did you become a poet? How did you know it was the right medium for your stories?
Writing has always felt like second nature to me, it’s how I communicate, how I work out my feelings and express myself. I only really started writing poems during my final year of high school, but ever since then, I have been working on my poetry almost every day. I love how a poem can capture a moment or a question in such a short amount of space.
What inspires you to write?
So much of my poetry comes from a place of wanting to be seen or heard, wanting to represent stories that are often silenced and instead hold a light to them. My everyday experiences inspire me, I love writing about the quotidian, looking at mundane things and finding the magic in them.
Who are some of your literary or artistic crushes or influences?
So many names to choose from! One of the first writers that influenced me was Sandra Cisneros, I read her book ‘The House On Mango Street’ during high school and fell in love with her style and vignettes. She definitely had a huge role in why I started writing poetry. Another one is Audre Lorde, I am always inspired and thankful for queer female writers who have chosen to share their work with the world. Her writing feels like nothing else I have read before.
What are you currently reading and is it a good read or not?
I’m currently reading The Girl Remains By Katherine Firkin, which is a mystery thriller set in my hometown. I am loving it so far, it’s always so nice to read stories set in places you can recognize. I am also reading One Last Stop By Casey McQuiston which is a lesbian time travel rom-com that is so fun and keeping me entertained during lockdown here in Melbourne.
What are you working on next/what was your last project, and can you tell us a little about it?
I’m currently working on a chapbook titled ‘Seasons through the kitchen window’ which is an exploration of eco poetry, inspired by the last year during the pandemic, and the countless days I spent indoors. It explores liminal space, the effects of climate change, queer identity’s, and my favourite fruits (mandarins and mangos).
Tag three of your favourite IG poets we should read and why should we read them:
I have a few, I wouldn’t consider them ‘IG poets’ but they do post their poetry on Instagram. @dbouts writes stunning poems with visual landscapes and queer themes. I’m a huge fan of @amykaypoetry especially her prompts, I have written many poems that started by reading something she posted. And finally, @tamara.natt is an Australian poet who manages to nail every single feeling I’ve ever felt, I always have to stop whatever I’m doing to read what Tamara has posted.
What are some common themes you see in your own work?
The environment, such as rivers and lakes, seem to be reappearing in my work lately. I suppose this may be due to the state of the world at the moment, being stuck indoors it’s easy to feel disconnected from the natural world and one way I can reconnect is to write about it and what I am missing. Also, a lot of my poems seem to be set at night, but I am not sure why?..
Do you feel that sharing your poetry is a vulnerable process?
Always, but when I am writing I have to try and write as if no one will ever read it, otherwise, I get shy, leave things out or edit myself, and then I just end up with bad poetry. It’s vulnerable to put your work onto paper and then show it to the world, especially with poetry it’s open to interpretation so no matter what the author intended, the reader might find something different hidden in the lines.
Do you take poetry classes or read books on poetry?
I am currently working towards a bachelor in creative writing, but I have only taken one or two classes that focused on poetry. I really enjoyed them mainly for the workshopping process, writing can be a very solitary act so any opportunity to connect and work with other writers is always exciting.
What is your revision process like?
My revision process tends to change depending on the work I’m doing. All of my writing begins as a stream of consciousness on the page, I don’t worry about grammar or structure I just aim to get all the ideas from my brain onto the page. Then I go back and pull outlines and ideas I want to work with. The final part of my revision is always reading the words out loud, you can often find me quietly whispering poems to myself in my bedroom.
What is your writing process like?
My writing always starts on my computer, I have tried writing poems with a pen and paper before, but it just doesn’t seem to stick, I much prefer being able to press backspace on my computer and play around with fonts. All of my drafts start in a Google Doc, I have a Google doc for each year, which is where all of my drafts live until they are finished, and then they go into a Google doc titled finished poems.