DCW: Your latest chapbook, Radia, was
released earlier this year, in June; I am hoping you could break down portions of the book, for a prospective reader. What has the
reception been like?
RK: It has been a
delight!....Placing the emphasis on the elusive, tangential and
abstract, the poems in Radia came from a place mystic Osho called the ‘no
mind’, a kaleidoscopic collage so to speak. Most of the poems in Radia were
written at night-they are seeped in nocturnal stillness. The earliest poem in
the book was written in January, it was the dedication to Scott Weiland. I even
thought about another project centered on this poem with Kristopher Biernatsky
of Dink Press. Undertow was another early poem that set the tone of Radia. I
posted it to my blog at Authors database, and it got a healthy reaction. At the
time I was reading a lot of experimental writing, and one day I discovered
Louis Armand’s Menudo, this book breathed new life into me-especially the
fragmentary nature of its narrative. I dedicated a poem to Armand! Jackson
Pollock was a huge
influence in writing Radia, my words are applied in the same way Pollock
painted. Another poem I am really proud of is Imminent connoisseur of heaven
& abysses. It is dedicated to French filmmaker Jean Luc Godard, whose
latest film Image Book startled me! Another special poem for me is my
collaboration with the late Felino A. Soriano, who you also knew. The influence of poets like Ric Carfagna,
Jukka- Pekka Kervinen and Peter Ganick on me is immeasurable. The book has been
very well received by people. I have people who live in France and Australia who have bought Radia
DCW: What brings
you to poetry?
RK: It’s been
quite a journey really! I only started thinking about poetry in 2015. I had a
near death experience earlier that year, it was when I returned home from the
hospital a voice urged me to write!
DCW: So far,
you’ve released 2 books of poetry in as many years. What do you do to stay
motivated, to keep writing, to keep working? What inspires you these days?
RK: I’ve been blessed….I
never expected to be an author! Immaculate Days was first published as an ebook
on Smashwords. I discovered Alien Buddha Press from Felino A. Soriano! Radia
was a tad easier. I published several poems in Void Front Press’s zine
Explaining death to children, after that James Harris the head of Void Front
Press asked if I was interested in putting together a chapbook, naturally I
said yes. Many things inspire me: Art, music, news, a beautiful concoction of
everything. I draw inspiration from the askew, occult and paranormal- a kind of
unauthorized reality
DCW: Do you
believe in the muse? What are your ideas of the muse?
RK: Strongly!
Oftentimes
there’s a charge propelling my words that’s hard to explain. That’s when the
writing is raw and palpable. I love this Osho quote:
The really creative person is not interested in
dominating anybody. He is so utterly rejoicing in life — he wants to create, he
wants to participate with God. Creativity is prayer. And whenever you create
something, in those moments you are with God, you walk with God, you live in
God. The more creative you are the more divine you are. To me, creativity is
religion. Art is just the entrance to the temple of religion.
I have a line in
one of my poems “I forced myself to be born everyday.” This is basically my
motto.
Rus Khomutoff is an
experimental language poet based in Brooklyn, NY. Poetry has appeared in San
Francisco Review of Books, Proprose Magazine, Mojave Heart Review and Hypnopomp.
In 2018, Immaculate Days (Alien Buddha Press) was published. In 2019, Radia was
published by Void Front Press.
