Today we talk about Alastair, a book by Joseph Yarmonth Misamesso Drissou published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author Joseph Yarmonth Misamesso Drissou to get to know him better, when and why he decided to write his book of poems Alastair, as well as what poetry resonates with his personal life.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- When and why did you decide to write your book of poems?
First of all, I would like to make a point of correction. Alastair is not a book of poems. This is one of the reasons why I urge everyone to read Alastair. ALASTAIR is a story book. I might even be tempted to say it is an historical book, an epic novel using the means of story telling and poetry to take the reader on an exceptional journey, an adventure worth joining, to a magical world yet in fact more real than we might even think. So, let me return to the question. When did I decide to write Alastair? You’ll be surprised to hear that it was more than 10 years ago. Why? I’m still wondering. Perhaps I think too much about things people think less about. Such as life, death, the afterlife, and what after that, what my poetical spirit calls Afterdeath. After all, this is what we have been called for. For a perpetual quest of answers to existential questions. Who are we? Why are we here? Where are we coming from? And where are we heading to? To me, it is more than evident that the answer might be found in Alastair. Alastair is meant to take the reader on a journey towards the discovery of the treasured answers to the above questions. Answers to be discovered through personal quest and dedication.
- What are the messages you would convey to your readers?
This question has somehow already been answered. Alastair is far from being a collection of poems. It is not at all. It’s a fascinating and fantastic story. My great message to my lovely audience, is this: Alastair is a novel. However, while reading it, remember to read it as if you were assembling a jigsaw puzzle. Never forget to have your spirit constantly focused on the final undeniable picture. Each line, each stanza, each chapter is an essential piece of the puzzle. Each of them is there as a faithful guide to lead you to such a final great picture. You need to stay focus from the first line to the last or your reading journey will be just like a weather forecast.
- What about your poetry resonates with your personal life?
Alastair as well as all my other writings have always been personal journeys I started with myself prior to bringing them to light through my poetic endeavours and storytelling passions. Honestly speaking, my personal life experiences, my own existential struggles, my faith, my hope, my love and my frustrations have always been part of my stories. They make my stories. They make my books. They force me to see who I am and how huge the load is for me to become a better me. And this is a wellspring I’m so thankful and grateful for. To put it in a nutshell, I’m my own stories’ very first audience to identify myself with my characters, their quest, their questions, their feelings, their emotions, passions, actions, their affection for life and their bittersweet relationship with the reality of the existence of evil and death.
- How did your passion for poetry started?
“I give you thanks my God for having created me black
For having made of me
The total of all sorrows,
And set upon my head
the World.
I am happy
With the shape of my head
Fashioned to carry the World,
Satisfied with the shape of my nose,
Which should breathe all the air of the World,
Happy
With the form of my legs
Prepared to run through all the stages of the World.” Bernard Dadie.
Bernard Dadie, a great father of west African literature, may his soul rest in perfect peace, wrote the above lines in his poem entitled “I give you thanks my God”. I came across this poem back in my very first school years, in grade three, and it has impacted my heart for life. As part of our Language Art evaluations, we had oral performances such as singing songs or memorizing and reciting poems. Bernard Dadie’s poem was my choice and I loved it so much that even today I can still recite it as if it was just yesterday. I can say that my passion for poetry started right there. With all those poets my young and thirsty spirit of learner encountered through their amazing lines. They’ve all contributed to crafting my passion for writing, and particularly for poetry.
- Are you planning to write more books you can tell us about?
Definitely. Stopping writing to me would be synonymous with ceasing to be. I can’t stop writing. That would sound like choosing to stop breathing. This is a sweet curse that I’m glad to bear for life. A blessing from God, I’m grateful for forever. Writing is not just a passion for me. It’s more than a priesthood. It’s my priesthood. This is the reason why I have more than ten unpublished works waiting in the shadows of my literary desk’s drawers, patiently waiting for the right time to be brought to light just like Alastair waited for years. And talking about Alastair, I would like to let you know that this first story is just the beginning of a remarkable journey, a series of stories. Each upcoming volume will be in itself, a big piece of the final big picture Alastair is meant to lead the readers to: the picture of humanity’s desperation vis-à-vis the grip of evil, its absolute need and longing for true, sustainable and everlasting redemption and salvation which Alastair tries to propose a way to.
Europe Books thanks the author Joseph Yarmonth Misamesso Drissou once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside him on the editorial path that led to the publication of his book Alastair. We wish him the best of luck for his book and for his future works.
To you, my dear reader, I wish this book intrigues you, captivates you and allows you to stay focused until the end of the book, page after page.
So, my dear reader, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your Editor!