Life & Work with Micaela Merryman of Flagstaff, Arizona

Today we’d like to introduce you to Micaela Merryman.

Hi Micaela, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have spent most of my life cycling between fits of manic inspiration and complete boredom, something that I wouldn’t consider conducive to being a writer. But in those moments, I found other means to satiate my restlessness. I didn’t know it then, but I was craving community in a way that I couldn’t access with my then-lifestyle. I spent hours tucked away in bed reading and writing. I tried to branch out with my interests in any way I could. First, it founded the magazine and youth artist collective Sonder Magazine. We were a rag-tag crew of college students passionate about art and independent publishing. In two years, we produced two issues, conducted dozens of interviews with indie artists from Flagstaff and beyond, and donated over $500 to local causes close to our hearts. When I graduated, and the magazine naturally dissolved, I turned my efforts to the back courtyard of Late for The Train, where I founded the Off The Rails Poetry Series. I have curated a monthly poetry series with live music every second Friday for nearly two years. These readings introduced me to incredible artists and change-makers in Flagstaff. I joined the Northern Arizona Book Festival as a programming specialist, and with their support, I became the Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate of Flagstaff.

It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have been incredibly fortunate to have a solid support system, so the road has always felt smooth, even when there were bumps along the way. Flagstaff is a beautiful, tight-knit community that I’m honored to be a part of, one that values collaboration and believes in kindness. My experience would not be the same as living anywhere else.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve always been a fiction writer, but I found a strong footing in poetry in recent years. It required less from me, less rigidity, and less structure. At first, I considered my poetry merely an outlet for my frustrations and sadness, a cathartic coping mechanism to reconcile my experience as a woman of color. It was only when I gained the courage to share my poetry with an audience that I realized it had the potential to touch people. I hope my poetry catalyzes change, like many other poets I’ve admired before me: Audre Lorde, Diane di Prima, Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, E.E. Cummings. I feel deeply called to challenge the way people can write and receive poetry. It doesn’t always have to be some pretty sonnet like many people imagine poetry. In Shakespeare’s world, stuck in literature class. It can be angry! It can be loud! It can be unrestrained!

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Submitting work as a writer is, more often than not, a discouraging process, and each submission carries inherent risks. Taking my poetry, personal stories, and innermost thoughts and placing them on a symbolic chopping block for someone else to qualify is still a concept I’m reconciling with. I’m only slightly afraid to admit it. As an artist, you’re baring your soul to the world whenever you share your work. I’ve always strived not to let that hinder me from conveying the message I intend to convey. In that respect, I am a risk-taker. And the rewards couldn’t be more gratifying. From having my work featured in Poetry Magazine to seeing my magazines sold in my favorite local bookstore, I’ve unquestionably reaped the benefits of putting myself out there.

Contact Info:

• Website: sondermagazine.com
• Instagram: micaelamerryman

Image Credits
Two of the images are from Off The Rails Poetry Series, the first one is me interviewing the Poet Laureate of San Francisco for the Northern Arizona Book Fest. The last one is a headshot featuring my magazines as well as the Poetry Magazine issue I was published in.