Lenelle Moïse’s sound-based poetics infuse her writing, music and collages.  The 2010-2012 Poet Laureate of Northampton writes stories with her ears, reminding us that rhythm and vibration are the origin of words. She’s also my favorite person to take a walk with!  While I tend to focus on the visual details, Lenelle zooms in on the shades and nuances of the soundscape around us.  She has taught me that words don’t come from paper but from human bodies.  I recommend signing up for her monthly enewsletter.

What are you trying to communicate or explore in your work?

The recurring themes are love, peace, compassion, freedom, place, connectivity and forgiveness. I write about the minds and hearts in bodies.

Where were you when you created one of your favorite works?

Provincetown, MA. I walked alone, in the dark, on Commercial Street, the wind in my dreadlocks, my heart pounding fast, my ears flooding with the sound of wind and waves. And then I sat at my desk in the Sea Change cottage, feeling terrified and liberated. That was back in 2006, during my first artist residency. It was a rite of passage.

What is your spirit animal?

I brake for butterflies and chant to Ganesha.  Also, horses make me cry.

What spaces in Northampton are you most curious to see inside of, or to make work in?

I think the downstairs theatre at Pleasant Street Cinema would be a great experimental venue for 2AM performance art. Something with poets, banjo players and wild costumes.

What are some strategies you use to sustain your art practice (while living in Northampton)?

I travel—a lot—for work and inspiration.

What 5 items do you always carry with you?

Lip balm, my iPhone, a scarf, rose oil and a business card.

 

See if you can recognize Northampton in this music clip!

Read a few of Lenelle’s poems out loud here.

Watch another (post-performance) interview with Lenelle here.