How I Wrote This: An Interview With Carina Solis
Carina Solis is a sixteen-year-old writer in Georgia. The author of Daughtersong (Bottlecap Press, 2023), she has been recognized by The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, Georgia High School Association, National Poetry Quarterly, New York Times, and others. Her work appears in Gone Lawn, Heavy Feather Review, Rust & Moth, and elsewhere. She will attend the University of Pennsylvania in the fall. Find her on twitter @carinasol_.
By Leela Raj-Sankar
Recently, I chatted with Carina Solis about the process behind her poem “American Dream,” published in Rust & Moth, which you can read here. This interview is part of “How I Wrote This,” a new series where I talk to poets about the process, inspiration, and influences behind their writing.
Leela Raj-Sankar: What was the general inspiration behind this poem? Was there a certain situation in your life that it references or is the poem mostly ideological?
Carina Solis: I am fortunate to say there has been no situation in my own life that this poem stemmed from. Rather, this poem stemmed from the fear that someday, I, or someone important to me like my brother, will experience brutality. I can list too many names of Black Americans who have been murdered by racists, white supremacists, or the police in the past few years. These stories make me scared for our American future and my own future. The only way I could cope with these feelings was to write, which is why this piece, “American Dream,” came into existence.
LR: I noticed a motif of fire and burning. What does this motif mean/exemplify to you, both in relation to the themes in this poem and your larger body of work? Did you go into this poem knowing that you wanted to emphasize this imagery or did it emerge as you drafted?
CS: Fire was the first motif I wanted to utilize in this piece. I wanted to use the ideas of burning and fire as a way to represent youth and the fierce light every child brings into this world. That’s why so much flame-related imagery—matches, burning thin wood, flare, burnt—was used to describe these boys. I thought the idea of these boys as flames and then violence extinguishing them would be the most visual way to illustrate the effects of discrimination and racism.
When you think of a Black person, what image comes to mind? For most people, I doubt this image will be of a Black professor or politician. Instead, I think most Americans would picture a “hoodlum” or street rat. Someone who’s up to no good. In America, due to internalized racism, blackness is seen as something to fear
LR: Can you explain the significance of the line “As they thumb piss-tinted teeth, / clutch the passed-down bandanas that choke their / baby’s throats”? Are the bandanas here literal, or do they represent something else?
CS: When you think of a Black person, what image comes to mind? For most people, I doubt this image will be of a Black professor or politician. Instead, I think most Americans would picture a “hoodlum” or street rat. Someone who’s up to no good. In America, due to internalized racism, blackness is seen as something to fear. When I wrote this poem, I thought of the common stereotypes of a Black person; two cliches that came to mind were ugliness and gang activity, hence the yellow teeth and red bandana.
LR: The last bit of the poem especially (beginning with “Listen. Somewhere, a mother”) reminds me of Danez Smith’s “summer, somewhere.” Was there a certain poet/artist/musician/other body of work that you were influenced by when writing this poem?
CS: This last bit of this poem was actually inspired by Daniel Liu’s poem, “Night Market Apologia.” When I read this poem, I was instantly gripped by the unusual images and narrative—such a beautiful piece. When I read the last few stanzas, I thought his repetition of “Somewhere,” was really interesting. I interpreted this repetition as if to signify on the large scale the inhumane treatment of immigrants at the border and in America.
LR: The poem is divided into two distinct stanzas. How did you decide on where to place line and stanza breaks? Did the form of the poem change at all over time?
CS: This poem began as one block and shifted to two distinct stanzas through the editing process. I was working on this piece with my Girls Write Now mentor, Robin Messing, who suggested I split the poem into two stanzas for appearances and to signify the perspective change. The first stanza deals with the boys and their actions, while the second stanza describes how their deaths affect their mothers. Loosely, I was trying to show that these murders don't just affect the victims themselves but entire families.
LR: What was the most difficult part about writing this poem?
CS: I’m the type of writer who simply puts words and phrases on a page, then tries to fit them together somehow. Oftentimes, my writing starts out as a collection of images rather than a fully formed piece/idea. So for me, the most difficult part about writing is what happens after I get the initial draft on the page: balancing the flow and giving my poem meaning.
LR: Who is one writer that has greatly influenced your work and how? Was there a single poem or collection that inspired you to start writing?
CS: Toni Morrison, easily. Her rendition of girlhood, racism, grief, and her views of society inspired me to look around at my own world and experiences. Her work pushed me to take risks in my own writing and write about these issues as well, since they are so close to me as a young, Black woman. I know she’s not a poet, but God, if I hadn’t been introduced to her work by my English teacher last year, I would probably still be afraid to share my writing with people.
LR: Who are some of the most exciting up-and-coming poets and/or poetry journals to you right now?
CS: Oooh, this is a tough question. I love reading teen writing, so for up-and-coming poets, I’ve really been enjoying Daniel Liu, Claire Pinkston, and Dana Blatte (if these poets even count since they’re so widely recognized in the teen writing world). As for poetry journals, I’m super in love with COUNTERCLOCK. I love the writing they publish and hope to be in their journal someday!
LR: One last question, just for fun: what are three songs you’ve had on repeat this summer?
CS: Great question! I’ve been exploring a lot of music lately, but my top songs right now are “Novacane” (Frank Ocean), “Run” (Joji), and “Moonlight” (Dhruv).
Leela Raj-Sankar is a high school senior and part-time pile of dust in floral print from Arizona. Her work has appeared in HAD, CLOVES Literary, and Rejection Letters, among others. She's a 2022 nominee for Best of the Net and the Pushcart Prize. Her debut chapbook HEAT DEATH OF THE UNIVERSE released with Fifth Wheel Press in June 2023, and her microchapbook SYMPTOM DIARY is forthcoming with Ghost City Press. Say hi to her on Twitter @sickgirlisms or read more of her work at leelarajsankar.carrd.co.