Conversation with Poet Rebecca Macijeski

Last month in The Word Cellar Writers Guild, I chatted with poet Rebecca Macijeski about how poetry can help us to record – and interact with –  the world around us. We also talked about the power of delight to reach people in our writing. Oh, and there's a sloth in a bathtub.

I met Rebecca during our time at Vermont College of Fine Arts. I like her poetry for many of the same reasons that I like Rebecca herself: both of them are smart, funny, musical, and genuine. 

The video above features a few clips from our longer conversation. In this excerpt, Rebecca shares how poetry can be a way of knowing beyond academic or linear thinking. She also reads one of her poems. (Hint: It's about a sloth in a bathtub, and you really need to hear it.)

The full 40-minute interview* includes much more conversaton, plus readings from her current project and from a few of her favorite poets. She also shares one of her favorite writing exercises that works for both poetry and prose.

I had a great time talking with Rebecca, and I'm so happy to share her – and her work – with you. (Rebecca was featured on this site previously as part of the "Loquacious" series.) 

Here's her official bio: Rebecca Macijeski is a Doctoral Candidate in Poetry at the University of Nebraska and holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She currently serves as an Assistant Editor in Poetry for Prairie Schooner and Hunger Mountain. She has attended artist residencies with The Ragdale Foundation and Art Farm Nebraska, worked for Ted Kooser’s American Life in Poetry newspaper column, and is the recipient of a 2012 Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Prize. Her poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Poet Lore, Nimrod, Sycamore Review, Potomac Review, Painted Bride Quarterly, Storyscape, Rappahannock Review, Border Crossing, Gargoyle, Fourteen Hills, and many others. 

*The full interview is available in The Word Cellar Writers Guild, where we also have interviews with other inspiring writers, including Brené Brown, Sue William Silverman,Marianne Elliott, and more!

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About The Word Cellar Writers Guild

The Word Cellar Writers Guild focuses on three aspects of the writing life: creativity, craft, and community.

The Writers Guild is a good fit for you if:

• You want to write (and publish) more pages.
• You crave more joy in the writing process.
• You long to create deeper connections with other writers.

I'd love for you to join us for writing modules, community support, live events, and an ever-expanding resource library.