Q&A with Allison Mei-Li

We are treated with a poetry Q&A this week! Allison Mei-Li has published two fantastic poems with us, “Quickly, Before I Remember” and “The first Dent.” One of our poetry editors, Lara Tokar, has interviewed Mei-Li about her writing. Read below as they dive into her first interactions with poetry, the influences of motherhood and natural imagery, and an exciting announcement at the end!

Primarily, I’d love to hear about when and how poetry found its way into your life, if you had an experience, poem or poet that initially pulled you in. 

Thank you so much for inviting me to this interview! I’m honored to receive such thoughtful questions about my poetry and life as a poet.

My writing life really began before I could even hold a pen. My parents used to sit with me every night before bed and transcribe my thoughts into a little Cinderella diary. I was in Kindergarten at the time, so my entries revolved around recess drama, gopher holes, and what kinds of crafts we did in class. I still have that diary, along with every journal I’ve filled since. 

In late-elementary, I began reading poetry and writing poems as a way to process my emotions. I remember using my family computer to log into poets.org, where I had access to this vast universe of poems. I’m sure I didn’t fully understand most of what I read, but I was captivated.

Obviously, motherhood is a major theme in your poetry. I'm wondering how writing about motherhood shapes the way you see it, or even the way you live it, in your daily life? 

When you spend a lot of time writing, you start to see life differently. You slow down. You notice. You find metaphors and symbolism everywhere. Writing poems about life with my son feels a bit like painting a portrait. By the time I’ve completed a piece, I’ve memorized every contour and shadow of the feeling or experience. 

Motherhood has unlocked a new portal of creativity for me. Life itself is more raw, intense, curious. My four-year-old is constantly asking these big, existential questions that stop me in my tracks. I have to explain the world to him, which means I have to really slow down and think about the world again. I’m more attuned than ever to both the magic and heartache of being alive. Every day feels like a poem waiting to be written.

‘The First Dent’ is abounding with striking natural imagery, mountains crumbling, ice cracking, the waves wearing one down. Is the natural world something you turn to often in your poetry? 

Thank you! I actually have this tongue-in-cheek poem that starts, “Yes, the poets are writing about the moon again.” Haha. It’s hard to escape the pull of nature imagery in poetry—it often speaks to an emotion or experience more clearly than language alone. I also find science and physics to be deeply poetic. One of my favorite poems I’ve ever written explores quantum entanglement as it relates to a mother and child. You can find that poem in my book, A History of Holding. 

The sense of urgency in ‘Quickly, Before I Remember’. I’d love to sit with that a bit. While life moves quickly and moments get lost, how do you decide when a moment or an image belongs in a poem? Do you find yourself writing as a way to hold onto or to immortalise passing moments? 

Absolutely. This poem in particular preserves some very specific moments within my son’s childhood. The speaker delights in all of these natural objects brought by the child, yes, but there’s more under the surface. It’s also a plea—show me, bring me, remind me that there is still good in the world. 

I think I live with that sense of urgency, too. When a moment feels like something more, I have this visceral need to capture it. Sometimes all I can do is quickly record a voice memo while driving, or type furiously into the notes app. Often, I’m running around the house shouting, “Where’s my notebook?” trying to catch a thought before it flies away. 

Whether or not these moments turn into a poem, I see myself as a collector. I gather images, ideas, and observations as they come and treat them like little treasures. Because they are.

Finally, what’s next for you as a poet? Are you working towards a collection? Is there something new you’re excited to explore next? We would love to know!

Yes! I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve just released my debut poetry collection, A History of Holding. Written through the lens of motherhood, it explores how we inhabit our bodies, our memories, and the fleeting moments that shape us. You can read more about it here: writtenbyallison.com/book or connect with me on social media/substack at @writtenbyallison.