Hello, this is Celeste. I have been writing poems since 2017 and fantasy fiction since 2022. Letters for Creatives is the place where I share my thoughts on creativity, share resources for creatives and interview creators and authors.

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Jo Bahdo - Interview series vol. 6 | #69 Celeste Tsang · May 5, 2022 Read full story

I have interviewed Jo when she published her first poetry book Primary Poems. She just released her second poetry collection Secondary Poems on 8Dec. You can get your copy of Secondary Poems and Primary Poems on her website now. You can connect with her on Instagram.

Tell us about Secondary Poems.

Well, first I would like to start by thanking you for inviting me for a second interview. I am honoured to be able to share with you and your readers my thoughts and process.

Secondary Poems is an intimate and confessional journey of letting go of love’s ideal and finding a sense of ground and peacefulness in one own self.

The book is dedicated to those who wait for their one love, the first snow, an apology, a sense of belonging, that family warmth, the falling leaves, to be asked to dance, a lullaby, flowers to bloom, the gloom to dissipate, intimate touches, the return of their inner child, a smile in the crowd, clouds shaped like butterflies, lies to cease, a fierce kiss, a sense of self, ground in the depths and those who left. 

The structure is the same as the first book: thirty-two poems, three chapters, three colours and thirty shades. A little twist is that the central chapter collects poems written in both English and French. At the end of the book, you will be able to find the poems translated in English.

How has your writing style changed since releasing Primary Poems?

Primary Poems collected my first English poems, and since then my knowledge of the English language has strengthened. I wrote Secondary Poems with more confidence and allowed myself more space to experiment with the language (such as the inclusion of French) and with the layout of each poem. Most importantly, I gave myself a lot of time with each poem. I spent about a year just editing (in Primary Poems I barely edited).

Did the process of writing Secondary Poems get easier?

I became more confident with the use of the English language but more attentive and insecure with the contents and images I wanted to express. I wanted to make sure that in contrast to the rushed process of Primary Poems with this new book, I was taking my time. I did that, but more time didn’t mean easier. I learned a lot since Primary Poems and as I am releasing Secondary Poems, I am taking with me even more lessons and possibilities for the next book.

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Did any authors influence your writing style in Secondary Poems?

I read a lot of every genre and I try to read from as many authors as I can. I think they all leave a trace in my writing process. The most influential in Secondary Poems is, however, Ocean Vuong.

Do you have any plan for your next writing project?

It is incredible because three years ago I only had Primary Poems and Secondary Poems taking up all the space in my mind and I wasn’t sure I would have anything more to say afterwards. Currently, I have about three open writing projects: a poetry collection, a memoir, and a non-fiction book. I am not sure how to proceed but I am glad that I still have something to write about.

How are you going to market Secondary Poems?

The first thing I did was ask every person I care about for their opinion to read the book and leave a review before the release date. So that I can share them when I talk about Secondary Poems.

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