James Navé welcomes poet Cathy Linh Che to Twice 5 Miles Radio. Cathy was born after Apocalypse Now, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Filming started in the Philippines on April 7, 1976. Three years later, in April 1979, Apocalypse Now opened in theaters.
You might be asking what a classic movie made over 40-years ago has to do with Cathy Linh Che, one of Americas finest poets? In this interview, Cathy will tell you the film Apocalypse Now has always played a significant role in her life. Why? Because her parents worked as extras on Apocalypse Now after they escaped Vietnam in 1975 when the American War ended.
Moving on to growing up in California in the 80s Cathy enjoyed everything the Golden State offered. Moreover, she enjoyed all the insight and wisdom her parents gave her by way of their stories, their style, and their work. As you might have guessed, Cathy started writing poetry early in her life.
Perhaps youre wondering, how do I become a poet like Cathy? Well, suppose you follow Cathys example. In that case, you put pen to paper to paper, and start writing down your family stories, your memories, your recent and distant experiences, note the love youve lost, the love youve gained, write sentences that show us where youve been and where youre going.
In this terrific conversation, Cathy and I track many poetic threads like the value of memorization, the notion of how to avoid being hobbled by perfectionism, and our delight in appreciating other languages like French. Cathy and I even read a little poetry in French. Ill bet youll enjoy hearing our attempt to read French poetry with our American accents.
When you listen to this interview, youll quickly discover Cathy delivers her wisdom, insight, and writing tips with a delightful sense of humor. What better way to spend an hour than listening to a couple of happy poets share their stores? Enjoy.
