GEORGE ONSY

OUR POETRY ARCHVE FEATURED

POET OF THE MONTH

George Onsy

September 2016

OPA How long have you been writing Poetry? We would like to know the early stories about your growing up as a poet or writer in general. Who are your favorite Poets? What are some of your favorite genres to read and to write? Have they inspired you; do you believe in inspiration as a guiding force behind writings at all?

GEORGE I have been writing poetry for more than 25 years. As for the stories, it had begun with writing short sentences attached to my artworks or sketches then that has developed gradually to take a prose form then poems.

OPA What has been the toughest criticism given to you as a writer? What was the biggest compliment? Did those change how or what you write?  What has been the strangest thing that a reader has asked you?

GEORGE The toughest criticism was the question about the absence of musicality/tonality in one of my earliest works. The biggest compliment was a sincere opinion given by a Native American Clan’s mother, Judith Hall: “George is not only a poet, he is a magician of words inviting us to get out of the box”. Another, by a talented Indian poet: “The world is waiting for George Onsy to come to the stage”. But all that has done nothing to my way of writing except encouraging me to go on recognizing my weaknesses as well. Not the strangest, rather the most curious thing asked has been when I posted my poem on the woman; TO EVE EVERYWEHER FROM ADAM OF EVERY TIME, a FB friend asked me: “It’s fabulous the way you look at women, are you married?”.

OPA   What is your favorite poem you have ever written? Compared to when you first started writing, have you notice any big changes in your writing style or how you write compared from then to now?

GEORGE

My favorite poem I’ve ever written was number 8 of my Divine Love Series; YOU ARE LOVE, addressing God:

YOU ARE LOVE-8

You are love

And so often

In my distress

You surprise me

With a tender breeze

That softly soothes

My complaining skin

Oh, what a bliss!

And I wish to ask you:

Was it a whisper

Or a kiss?

Comparing what I’m writing now to what I wrote when I started, I would say, yes there has been a considerable development.

OPA   What has been your favorite part of being a poet or and author? What has been your least favorite?

GEORGE My favorite part of being a poet and author is to be able to experience the power of the eternal WORD sharpening it to be able to challenge the temporary, earthly power of the sword. My least favorite part is being too sensitive and emotional as well as, of course, being too busy always as I feel so tempted to write ever more.

OPA Did you get to quit your day job and become a writer and or author, or do you still have a day job and writing is something you do for fun? If you still have a day job, what is it?

GEORGE Thank God, He always provides me with an ideal job that would educate me, enrich my cultural view and, in the same time, give me space of time to practice my creative activities, poetry, writing or painting which I never do for fun, rather work seriously on as a message fit to God’s plan in my life. Therefore, I never have had to leave my day job which I do need to earn my living. At present, I actually work as a university professor and that enriches the human side of my character getting into direct contacts with new generations of young people to form them to be ready to serve Egypt, plus, enjoying good interactive relationships with my colleagues of different ranks and areas.

 OPA   Besides writing and reading, what is your most favorite thing to do? What genre are you most looking forward to explore during your writing career? Why?

GEORGE my favorite things to do beside writing are painting mystical works depicting the eternal world, improvising mystical music on my keyboard and meditation. The genre I’m most looking forward to exploring is writing novels, specially fantasia type and that’s because I would always like to invite the readers to experience a higher level of existence leading to enjoy the eternal in the here and now.

OPA: Do you think literature or poetry is really essential in your life? If so why? How does it relate to the general history of mankind?

GEORGE Absolutely yes. Because, as I’ve already said, it’s the very reason I’m here on earth during this life time, conveying a needed message to the world around me. I’m really dreaming to create a significant turning point in human consciousness in order to able to perceive and enjoy what’s eternal, what will really last, through our daily life.

OPA   Our readers would like to know your own personal experience regarding the importance of literature and poetry in your life.

GEORGE It’s an important outlet turning life challenges and suffering into something positive to share with people.

OPA Do you think people in general actually bother about literature in general?  Do you think this consumerist world is turning the average man away from serious literature?

GEORGE Not much, and this is quite unfortunate. I would say that that is not only because of the consumerist world’s influence but also is owing to the dramatic change of media from written to visual in our contemporary era.

OPA Now if we try to understand the tradition and modernism, do you think literature can play a pivotal role in it?  If so, how? Again how can an individual writer relate himself or herself with the tradition and modernism?

GEORGE In fact our world today does need a balanced blend of both tradition and modernism, hence, here comes the role of today’s writers. As about how, I believe that it’s a question of structuring creatively the genre written that can make such balance possible, acceptable and enjoyable to the readers.

OPA   Do you think society as a whole, is the key factor in shaping you up as a poet, or your poetry altogether?

GEORGE  Not only the society but also the things that are not seen yet do exist beyond the society and the entire visible world.

OPA Do you believe that all writers are by and large the product of their nationality and is it an incentive or an obstacle for becoming a truly international writer?

GEORGE The key factor to balance between nationality and internationality is to deeply conceive the organic relationship between the parts and the whole. When a writer, or even an ordinary person, fails to understand that balance such destructive obstacle would always be there.

OPA What 7 words would you use to describe yourself?

GEORGE loving .. sensitive .. creative .. hard worker .. calm .. meditative .. revolutionary

OPA   Is there anything else that you would like to share or say to those who will read this interview?

GEORGE I love you, you will feel my love through my writings and artworks to come. Thanks very much!

The editorial staff of this project: Deborah Brooks Langford, Stacia Lynn Reynolds; sincerely thank you for your time and hope we shall have your continued support.