Where are you from? 

I was born and raised in Queens, New York (I'm still here but wanderlust has been tugging at my soul to relocate).

Tell us the story of how you got into writing:

Early on in my childhood I can recall my pops playing tapes by The Lost Poets and Gil Scott-Heron. I remember just being amazed by the way they sounded and although I was young and couldn’t really understand all of what they were talking about it, I was still ensnared by it all. As a black man in America I can now understand all too well the things I could not grasp as a kid. In the fifth grade this hippy looking lady walked into the classroom and presented poetry in the most freeing of ways. She taught us that poetry was all about honest and relentless self-expression. Sure, she introduced us to a few of the stricter forms and “rules” of traditional poetry but made it a point to reinforce the vastness that verse could provide. I fell in with love, even when I stepped away from her(poetry)… she never once stepped away from me. Poetry is a constant in my life. I’m very much in a relation- a marriage with poetry, I’ll never file for divorce.

What was your favorite book growing up?

I absolutely loved R.L. Stine’s: Goosebumps books! The one with Slappy on the cover, it’s eyes lit up red. Creepy as hell but I loved it. Also Where The Wild Things Are and Red Ranger Came Calling.

What is your favorite book as an adult?

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. My… I’ll just call her “EM”… EM introduced me to this author and book. The Poet X is a novel but it’s told in verse. Each poem advances the story. Acevedo executes this perfectly, it’s a real page turner. A novel in verse was honestly a concept I had never ever heard of, it intrigued me because I’ve thought about writing a novel but writing a novel and putting together a collection of poetry (which I have done four times now) are completely different animals. I doubt I could ever write a true novel, but a novel in verse? Totally in my wheelhouse. Both EM and my editor (Caitlin Jans) agree. So someday, hopefully I’ll publish my own.

What is the name of your new book?

What If I Said (2018) and I have a new chapbook that will be released on June 30th titled Coffee Clock: 24 Hours Of Poetry.

What inspired you to write the book?

With What If I Said, I just had things I needed to get off of my chest. Coffee Clock came about after I participated in an annual international poetry marathon last year (organized by Caitlin and her husband Jacob). The challenge? For twenty-four hours poets had to write a poem each hour and upload them to the marathon’s site. It was really fun and at times difficult but I learned a lot about my writing process.

Tell us more about your new book:

In regards to What If I Said, I just had thoughts swirling around in my mind that NEEDED to be released. I held nothing back. My favorite retired emcee says (Joe Budden) “pain shared is pain lessened”. I had a lot of pain that called for lessening. I spoke about my struggles with depression, coming very close to a suicide attempt, my purpose in life, a breakup I gone through the year prior and a few other topics. Putting what I did down on paper and then publishing it was scary for a bunch of reasons but in the end, it really did wonders for me. What If I Said is available to purchase directly from me and also anywhere books are sold online. 

One poem from the marathon, “I Let My Tape Rock Till My Tape Pop” was published in The 2020 Poetry Anthology (available on Amazon) but the other twenty-three poems needed a home. I love all of those poems but I had no idea what to do with them. A good friend of mine suggested I take all twenty-four and turn it into a chapbook. I dug the idea and the rest is history. Coffee Clock is a handmade chapbook, printed, folded and stapled by another friend of mine (TJ, @theeverydaybite on Instagram). He made one-hundred and five copies in one evening. I started taking pre sale orders on May 28th, those will be shipped on June 21st and the official release date is June 30th.

Where do you go to get into writing mode?

Quiet places. I don’t mean quiet as in a silent space, I mean with no one distracting me. Typically, I write a majority of my poems at home, in my room. I like to listen to music while I write, I have a playlist called “Sounds to write to”. It has one-hundred and eleven songs on it and its about seven and a half hours long. This playlist has a bunch of different genres on it but mostly alternative music. I’m currently compiling another playlist called “Sounds to listen to pt. 2” that’s going to be R&B heavy. A cup of coffee in the morning or afternoon, something stronger for nights… like whiskey. My favorite time to write is most definitely 2AM-5AM, for me during that time I can access a specific way of writing that’s off limits during any other time. Although I tend to write in my room, I do love writing in other places such as bars, park benches, boardwalks, piers (anywhere near water really) cafes, airplanes and trains.

Who needs to read this book?

Poetry is a really individual art form and for that reason I don’t think EVERYONE will get or like what I write and that’s really okay with me. When people connect to what I write, that is a very profound gift and I never take it for granted. I cherish it but I don’t need it. Needing approval from outside sources is dangerous under any circumstance but especially when you’re an artist. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound? Absolutely. Big or small, if the audience disappears for an artist, are they still an artist? Yes. If not, in my opinion… they were never really an artist, they were a performer. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with but I’m not a performer. Now that I’m thinking about it, I suppose some forms of art do require an audience, for instance actors? I guess they “need” an audience. Anyways, poetry keeps me out of the ground. I do what I do first and foremost because it makes me happy and it alleviates suffering. So, if no one ever read another word I’d still be a poet. I say all that to say, and from a marketing stance this is undoubtedly a bad strategy but I don’t really have a target audience? Old/young/women/men/other, for both What If I Said and Coffee Clock: 24 Hours Of Poetry + whatever I write in the future… whomever reads it… I hope they find it organically. At a time when they most need it. I hope they get something real from it, something that sticks to their soul.

Who inspires you?

Good people, people who do not intentionally harm (I say intentionally because I know this can occur inadvertently). Everyone who wakes up and pushes through their adversity. The system humanity has created for itself is hellish.

How important is reading and literacy for youth in this world?

It’s incredibly important. As Malcom X said, “Education is an important element in the struggle for human rights. It is the means to help our children and thereby increase self-respect. Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”

What is some advice you would give to someone with a dream to create something they dream of?

I had a best friend in high school, his name was Scott Pollack. He passed away but his motto was failure is not an option. I keep that thought close to me. We only fail when we stop, cliché? yes, but still true. Just don’t fucking stop. You want to get your paintings in a gallery? Paint every day, hone your craft. Create a plan, be pliable, plans change. Whatever your goal is you need dedication and discipline to get to it or it will remain as elusive as our actual resting dreams are. Lastly, I’d tell them that they know their own capabilities better than anyone so do not let anyone deter them from their passions. Oftentimes, the people who will instruct other people against following their dreams didn’t follow their own. So just do you.

Where can people find your new book?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DRQX8DK/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/JaeCeeThePoet/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jaeceethepoet

Facebook.com: https://www.facebook.com/JaeCeeThePoet/

Website: https://joaquincapehartpoet.weebly.com/

Photography by Elmer Quintero (Instagram @ElmzQPhotos) & Adrian Bacolo (Instagram @Adrian718)

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