Cindy Staffieri’s debut collection of poetry, Our Mothers’ Sins, is a brave and powerful poetic achievement. Staffieri is an active member of the literary community, working in the promotion and sponsorship of the Librissimi Italian Book Festival. Find a quiet place to sit and read her moving poems.
Why did you write this book?
I never intended to write a book actually. Antonio D’Alfonso was a guiding force for me. I began writing poetry as an outlet. I reached out to Antonio after reading his poem “Babel.” It touched me, and I wanted to thank him. That was the beginning of our friendship and working relationship. He encouraged me to gather my writings and create a book with them. It has been a surreal journey, and one that I am grateful to have undertaken.
Where does poetry come from for you?
It comes from my lived experiences, and my emotions. For me, writing is showing my true self to the world. It is sometimes painful and frightening. I am putting myself out there for people to see. Poetry is the ultimate act of honesty and humility.
There is a deep and confessional rawness to these poems. Was that emotionally difficult for you to craft?
Thank you for describing my work in those terms, as it is precisely that. It is a confession, to myself, and for others to see. I have put my experiences, my life, into words. Perhaps we could describe the book as an autobiographical work, in a certain respect. Crafting it was natural, as it was a release. The difficulty was making a choice to share it with the world. Whether readers realize who or what the poems are about perhaps is secondary, as I know what I have revealed of myself by writing them. I finally decided to publish these for one singular purpose. Perhaps someone else would relate and not feel so alone in the world.
The poems contain a controlled focus. How do you achieve this? Does it take several edits?
Antonio was a wonderful editor. His precision and years of experience helped me deliver this controlled focus. As a writer with ADHD, I wrote in short bursts with one idea in mind, one event for each poem. The pattern of each poem was truly helpful. The edits were actually minimal. The writing flowed naturally and followed a rhythm that was conducive to this focus.
There is a sense of loss and also a sense of hope in this work. Was that your intention?
Definitely. My writing reflects on a life that is lived. One of billions. We all have a story to share. One that contains numerous moments of joy, pleasure and hope. Then again it is tempered with the pain and suffering that all human beings endure. I hope that my work embodies this idea. We are all confronted with setbacks in our lives, hope for a better tomorrow is our armour to confront these challenges… to overcome, to survive and become better people once we are on the other side of it.
Which poem was the most challenging for you to write and why?
The most challenging poem for me to write was “Mont Royal.” It touches on a very personal and painful experience. As a sexual assault survivor, I decided to include this poem to honour all survivors. People seldom realize the shame and trauma associated with sexual violence. This shame is hidden in the shadows, carried around for decades, while survivors carry on with their daily lives.
Your final poem, “Stillness,” is a powerful ending and a recurring feeling or image in the book. How important is stillness in your work?
Stillness is an image, yes, and a feeling. It carries with it a promise of peace and acceptance. It can be felt in many different ways. For me, it is a source of comfort. You can feel stillness when you are out in nature, taking a walk, or when you can take a breath after a terrible event. Sitting in front of a beautiful work of art, listening to a piece of music that resonates within you… that is stillness. Stillness brings with it a sense of soothing that cradles your broken body. It is an acceptance of your being. An acceptance that being alone is not a tragedy but a privilege. Many of us spend much of our lives alone and consider it a source of sorrow, I don’t see it this way.
Does your Italian background play an inspirational role in your writing in any way?
I spent much of my adult life trying to hide or minimize my backgrounds. As a woman, I eagerly embraced my spouses’ cultures as a way to ignore difficult yet important parts of my early years. My father immigrated to this country with his parents and siblings when he was ten. He spent most of his life trying to assimilate and be accepted. I saw the prejudice first hand, not only from strangers, but from actual family members. My mother is Quebecoise and as much as I identify as a proud Italo- Canadian, I am equally Quebecoise. Am I not? Yet I have lived most of my life in the liminal space between these two cultures, never completely being one or the other. In hindsight, I realize how blessed I am to have the lived experience of these two rich cultures, although I remember having a very different outlook while growing up. Growing up in Montreal during the 1970s, in an Italian neighbourhood, my generation was on the front lines of the political war brewing. This no man’s land that I speak of in my poetry is something that I truly believe in. I saw the war from both sides. I identify as both a Quebecer and an Italo-Canadian.
What advice do you have for people trying to write poetry after a career in the professional workforce?
The best advice I could give anyone is to call Antonio D’Alfonso! On a more serious note, write about what you know and what you have experienced. Write for yourself and do not edit yourself. Perhaps, the more difficult it is to face, the more honest your work will be. At the end of the day, isn’t this what is the most important aspect of writing? There is a saying in business that guided my career as a business woman: if your main reason for starting a business is to become rich then you will be sure to fail. If your main reason for writing is to create a commercial best seller, perhaps that same rule will apply.
What are you working on now?
Currently, I am promoting Our Mothers’ Sins. I will begin working on my next book very soon. It will be a work of prose.
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