Huelo tu dulce fragancia desde la otra habitación.
Mi nariz lleva mi cuerpo hacia ti.
Agarro intensamente tu piel,
Acercándote a mi entorno.
Frenéticamente desgajo tus prendas
Aceptando el olor con el que me dejarás.
Comienzo arañando tu espalda,
Mientras mis uñas descubren tu epidermis muerta.
¡Lo quiero todo!
Te mueves desnudo en mi boca,
Saciando mi sed por tus semillas.
Explotan jugos entre mis labios
Salpicando los alrededores olvidados.
Devoro cada tierna sección tuya.
Mi ojo derecho salpica involuntariamente mientras llego al clímax—
Te trago, dulce naranja.

-Dave Roper

Respira lentamente, enfócate en el principio.
Mañana es ahora eternidad.
No puedes ganar esta batalla, solo camina conmigo.
Nunca antes, Nunca Más
Ninguna secuela solo una vez
Nada igual esto es de verdad.
Una vez en la vida para los valientes.
Los cobardes más a menudo.
Libertad Finalmente Para Siempre.
Si te alejas de mi no puedo prometerte este resultado
otra vez.
Toma esta oportunidad para explorar, aprender y reaccionar.
Para que la próxima vez, la próxima vez, ¿la próxima vez?

N. Simmons

Grutas bajo el agua, cavernas
Llenas de monos
Que comen higos.
Pisando los higos
Que los monos
Comen, se aplastan.
Los monos aúllan, muestran
Sus colmillos, bailan,
Se revuelcan en el
Agua correntosa,
Pieles mohosas y mojadas
Brillando en lo azul.

-Barack Obama

“El segundo de dos poemas publicados en el número de la Primavera de 1982 de Feast, la revista literaria de Occidental College.”

Se sienta en el piso de tierra
Recordando el hogar que había dejado.
La familia a la cual le prometió
Tantas riquezas,
La buena vida que nunca ha llegado,
Demasiado orgulloso para admitir haber fallado en este
País artificial.
La lúgubre casa rodante—pintura amarilla
Se estaba desvaneciendo como su ambición
Su gente estaba equivocada sobre este
“Gran País.”
Ninguno de sus sueños se hizo realidad.
Demasiadas injurias y violencia,
Sin suficiente trabajo o paz.
Recoge sus pertenencias y
Deja atrás toda su esperanza.
Su vida que nunca será en este
País artificial.

-Pang Vang

A los que amé, engañé
Traicioné tu confianza, mientras tu codiciabas.
Disculpa las molestias y dolor que provoqué.
Parece que me siguen
También traje vida a tu aburrida vida.
“Recuerda eso”
Vagamente, como lo recuerdo estaba tratando de tener a alguien
Vag te recomendó a ti. Según el eras un blanco fácil
Mi amante secreto es lo que tu eras.
Nunca te mostré.
Te escondí de mis amigos y familia,
Sin embargo a través mío te vieron a ti
Engañando con gentuza blanca.
Como me aborrecen.
Confundidos de que pagaría por tu amor, solo tu amor
Sin emoción pero te amé solo a ti.
¿No estarías de acuerdo?
Mi compañía apacigua el dolor
Me amas demasiado, para dañar nuestra relación
Te apoyé durante la partida de tu esposa y niños
No es mi culpa que soy conocida por esto, pásame a tus compañeros
Me amarán como tu lo hiciste
Una puta no soy, el centro de atención si.
Manipuleada por los hombres, una figura indefinida
Te permite moldearme, formarme, probarme
Siénteme, alíneame, hazme lo que quieras
Mi aroma te volverá loco,
Lo mejor de la naturaleza solo págale a mi patrón primero
Llámame cuando necesites tener a alguien.

N. Revol

La sexualidad y libertad son, como para mi
Ricas suaves, cálidas y dulces
Muy poco yo sabía, desenfocada tu ves
Como el VIH podría sorprenderme
¿Qué se sintió tan grasoso y agradable?
Permití que mi sistema inmune de bienvenida a toda miseria
Confronté a la angustia, mi cuerpo sintiéndose retorcido
No hace falta que me digan, lo se, me han enseñado
¿Hay esperanza?, si la hay
¿Como tantos antes lo sobreviviré
Conquistaré los sudores nocturnos, jaquecas y dolor?
Sin embargo sufrir mentalmente, ¿trataré de mantenerme?
Dicen que no lo haré, pero como he visto antes
Siempre hay esperanza, estoy lista, estoy segura
Que este no es el fin, aunque el VIH ha entrado
Viviré, ¡viviré hasta el final!

-Sonya Presley

Samm Cooper is a poet, professor, and author of short stories. Already possessing degrees in criminal justice, education, and information technology, she is currently pursuing her doctorate in higher educational leadership. Her deep-rooted faith in God’s transformative and sustaining power fuels the intensity of her artistic work: her recently published volume of poetry, Scorpio’s Fire, is a rollercoaster of emotions that depicts the raw joy, passion, and rage of relationships. Samm currently resides in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

PTM: Samm Cooper, what’s going on? How’s the world treating you?
samm Cooper: I’m great, PTM. The world is treating me very well, thanks!

PTM: Tell the people out there about Samm Cooper.
samm Cooper: Well, I’m a creative, enthusiastic college professor and author. I kind of fell into teaching within the college sector, and I love it. I have a BS in Criminal Justice and a master’s in educational technology, and I am currently pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership with a completion date of July 2009! I’m an author of three publications: Scorpio’s Fire (poetry); “I Killed My Best Friend” (short story) and Red Flame (poetry). I’m a daughter, a sister, and someone’s fabulous friend!

PTM: How long have you been writing?
samm Cooper: I have been writing all types of stories since the age of 10.

PTM: What got you interested in writing?
samm Cooper: My mother bought me a Brother computerized typewriter. I remember typing all types of stories. I remember saying officially that I would like to be a writer. I was also inspired by the expressions on my family’s faces when I use to draw bubble notes over the heads of the people photographed in Ebony magazine and create a story based on their expressions. I have always been fascinated with literature and books; as a young child, I was an avid “Book It Red Apple” summer reading list child. I think my family’s integration of literature and Scrabble really influenced me.

PTM: What is your biggest struggle with your writing and performing?
samm Cooper: As an artist, there are many things one can improve upon, and I always try to take a look at my needs as a writer internally and assess the issues. As a performer, my struggles are trying to stay dry . . . I know this is funny, but I often struggle with perspiration, which is odd, because I always speak before crowds and never perspire. So when I am on stage, I am thinking cool thoughts and struggling not to turn into a big puddle of Samm Cooper. Now I know why comedians always have a little handkerchief—the lights are bright! So I’m prepared!

PTM: If you could have a conversation with any poet, living or dead, who would it be?
What questions would you ask them? Why did you choose that poet and why did you select those questions?
samm Cooper: I would have a conversation with the deceased Vincent Van Gogh, because he is my favorite artist, poet, and writer. His self-expression with paint strokes is very strong, defined, and clear. I would ask him what he heard that made him want to cut his ear off. How did he define insane? Would he rather have current fame and money or long-term recognition and no money, given option? I would ask him if he missed his brother and if he could draw a portrait of me. What makes him happy? What are his inspirations that history and art books didn’t discuss? Did he ever taste cotton candy? What does he think about my artwork? (Of course I would want to get a critique from an expert!) I would definitely want to share a blended ice tea at Starbucks with him and discuss some things.

PTM: When did you “become” a poet? When did poetry become part of your everyday life?
samm Cooper: Poetry . . . I write poetry and I write stories. Everyone is a poet at some point. As far as becoming a poet, I have always written poetry, along with various screenplays, thrillers, and short stories. It is part of my writing. Poetry became a part of my everyday life throughout college, and I began to keep journals not only for logging daily events, but also writing free verse poems. I wrote in it for fun—cute little poems that were inspired by people, work, class, and relationships.

PTM: How do you form a poem? Is poetry an organic or a synthetic process for you?
samm Cooper: My poetry is free verse in that it doesn’t always rhyme. It has a smooth, readable, easily translated groove. Yes, my style of poetry is very organic to me. It is raw verbal emotion, which comes out the way I feel and express things and is very natural. NO PRESERVATIVES! (Smiles)

PTM: Where do you write? Is ambiance important? Do you have rituals or habits when you write?
samm Cooper: I write my best stories and short ideas in busy places. I like noise, and cafes are perfect. Candles and dim lights make me sleepy! This past year I wrote some really interesting ideas at a busy café in Rome, Italy, and the ideas were just flowing. People were speaking Italian, there was hustle and bustle—the equivalent of a New York City atmosphere. It was lovely. I tried writing by the pool and I ended up doodling. No, I don’t have any rituals; the only habit I try to uphold is to write when I feel like it. I never force it!

PTM: Is there a side of yourself that you didn’t know existed until you started writing?
samm Cooper: Yes! Some of my poetry and even my short stories have a little edge of aggressive behavior. I like the added kick of spice that comes out in my writing. I often say that my poetry is like “A sweet punch in the face, then a passionate kiss.” It’s like the Skittles commercial, “sour and sweet,” but it’s my style and I’m happy with it for now. I’m sure I will evolve . . . that’s what writing is all about!

PTM: When you got started, did you have doubts about your writing ability or fears about how the audience would react to you? If so, in what ways have you learned to overcome those reservations?
samm Cooper: I never doubted me. I am a strong believer in the quote “If you believe in yourself, others will follow,” and it works! (Smiles) I have always been the type of person who is going to complete something if I want it bad enough. I always told myself that when I graduated college one day I would publish my poetry book. When the time came, I did some research and I made it happen. I was unsure how my audience would take my work, but I was pretty proud of the selection of poems in my first publication of Scorpio’s Fire. I have learned that it is important to focus on the positive and eliminate the negative. I have also learned that it is important to cut your own course and make your own mark on the world!

PTM: Who has been your biggest influence outside of the writing world?
samm Cooper: My biggest influence outside of the writing world is my heart. It inspires me in so many venues. It keeps me moving! No pun intended!

PTM: How difficult was it to publish your first book? How did you go about it?
samm Cooper: I used a non-traditional POD (Print on Demand) publishing company. My first publication was through Iuniverse. It was a learning opportunity, and at the time it was the best thing for me. I did some research, and actually found out about this publishing company through a fellow professor. Within academia you are required to stay current with published academic writings, and Iuniverse was the most common publishing venue within the institution at which I was teaching. I simply logged on to Iuniverse.com and spoke with a representative. That was my start. The next year I founded Scorpio’s Fire Publishing and attained my business license and went from there. Iuniverse was a great learning tool.

PTM: What was the lesson learned from that experience?
samm Cooper: I learned to take notes, get opinions from other authors, network, and get out there and promote myself! Try to spend money wisely, and don’t share all of your secrets!

PTM: What inspired you to write “I Killed My Best Friend?”
samm Cooper:: A true story someone told me inspired IKMBF. IKMBF is fiction, but it is based on a true concept. The first manuscript was actually erased off my computer. Luckily, I had read it aloud to my uncle the week before to get some feedback, and by doing so had memorized it. I remember that with the first version I created I made myself very sick because the characters were experiencing turmoil and going in so many drastic directions. The second and the published version were much-needed for my characters’ sanity! I really enjoyed these characters, and I have Part Two, titled “A Perfect Place” completed. It’s coming very soon.

PTM: How did you develop the plots and characters in “I Killed My Best Friend”?
samm Cooper: Based on the true concept of the love triangle, I really wanted to write about interracial relationships, and I thought it would be perfect to create that within my story line without being overtly blunt. My plot went from present to past, which allowed me to kind of play around with the background of the climactic occurrences. The characters were very fun. Taliya, Derrick, and Kent are truly Oscar winners—they really played their parts well. I mixed the sweet and sour of personalities, and it created itself. The idea of falling in love with someone you’re not supposed to fall in love with is harsh on the heart.

PTM: Without giving anything away, could you give a brief description of “I Killed My Best Friend”?
samm Cooper: “I Killed My Best Friend” is a murder mystery that takes you on the path of a man destined for success, only to have his path altered by love. Derrick, Kent, and Taliya’s lives will never be the same; their love will last through the vicissitudes of time, affecting their lives. Don’t judge this book by its cover—this compelling story will capture you.

PTM: Has having your writings published changed you?
samm Cooper: No, I don’t believe it has. But I am honored to say that I have publications; it makes me feel good. It also makes me feel good when someone else can relate to or envision the characters I created.

PTM: Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
Samm Cooper: Only when pressured. I normally write a new story from a different angle with new characters to offset it.

PTM: What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
samm Cooper: Time, a career, and the ability to communicate well via literature and verbally.

PTM: What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?
samm Cooper: I have realized that through writing I have gained many new associates, career opportunities, and recognition.

PTM: Do you have any special memories that you would like to share?
samm Cooper: When I published “I Killed My Best Friend,” during one of the lectures I was giving a student brought a copy of my book and put it on my desk and wanted me to sign it. I smiled the entire day. I will never forget that. I was simply happy. Even though I have made many sales, that one was truly memorable.

PTM: How has your environment or upbringing colored your writing?
samm Cooper: I have always been a traveler and I love to see the world. I think my family always instilled in me that I could do anything or go anywhere I wanted if I had an education. So with my education I am making it work and how this influences my writing is that I am open with taking chances on my creative writing and delivery of poetic compilations because I have a plan b and that plan b — will be Dr. Cooper!

PTM: Are you working on any books or projects that you would like to share with us?
samm Cooper: Yes; I’m always working on something. I recently discontinued my radio show Words with Samm Cooper. It originally was created to promote my books and publications, and it really evolved into something great as I began interviewing various authors and poets. Words with Samm Cooper was in existence for two years. It was fun, yet I am on the move for even greater things!
I have a few new publications coming out; you can check all my updates as they occur at www.sammcooper.com to see the latest books, or go to my online store on the website. www.shop.sammcooper.com.

PTM: Do you have any upcoming appearances that you would like to share with us?
samm Cooper: Due to my educational responsibilities, I have decided to minimize my poetry engagements and focus more on writing my novels and completing my dissertation.

PTM: Name one entity who you feel supported you, outside of family members.
samm Cooper: God.

PTM: How do you feel when someone reads one of your poems or stories and comes up with an interpretation of it that is far from what you intended?
samm Cooper: I’m happy. Poetry is many things to many people. I like art, and people see what they want to see, and that’s the beauty of interpretation. I recall someone hearing the poem “Behind the Glass,” which is in my latest poetry collection. They interpreted it correctly and to a T! I was amazed and honored—it sparked a smile! I can also remember young lady reading “Invisible Corn” from my Scorpio’s Fire publication and having a really unique interpretation. I was also amazed!

PTM: Which do you find exerts a stronger influence or impact on your subsequent work, success or failure?
samm Cooper: Failure is not in my vocabulary. I always reach for the moon! My successes are not always as grand as other successes. I believe criticism inspires me the most.

PTM: As a writer, do you think every writer should have the goal of becoming a bestselling author?
samm Cooper: I think it is up to the writer individually. Goals are good to have. I don’t believe there is anything wrong with wanting to become a bestselling author. But I think if you appreciate what you do and your readers like your writing style, humor, and delivery, your work will naturally come through as a bestseller.

PTM: Do you consider authors who are not bestselling to be failures or unsuccessful?
samm Cooper: As an author who is not on the bestseller list, I may be a little biased in this, but I would never call myself a failure. Some great authors out there may not have PR to assist them with various promotional aspects. Maybe some authors are focused on promoting their publications and not focused on bestseller list. It’s a great recognition, but it is not end-all-be-all. So when you ask, “Are you a failure if you are not on the bestselling author list?” I would ask “Are you a failure if your four-year accredited college degree is not from Harvard?” I don’t believe people get very far with negative terminology or limitations.

PTM: If you could leave your readers with one legacy, what would you want it to be?
samm Cooper: I would leave them with the idea that with hard work and education you can have all the things you desire; it just takes commitment and passion for what you are doing. The outcome is truly rewarding, so hang in there!

PTM: Tell everyone interested in your work where to find you.
samm Cooper: You can find my work at www.sammcooper.com and my online shop at www.shop.sammcooper.com.

PTM: Thank you for your time.
samm Cooper: Thank you! It was a pleasure. I love Poet Tree.

Based Artist Aristeo Jaure is looking for God. He does not restrict his search to churches, the Bible ,or the night sky. He looks for the signs and messages of divinity in his own work, paintings and drawings that reflect the human condition, often painfully.

ARISTEO JAURE INTERVIEW

PTM:Aristeo, how’s it going?
AJ: It’s going great.

PTM:Can you tell the people a little about yourself?
AJ: Well, I was born and raised in Wyoming…average American small-town life. My father is Mexican and my mother is of many nationalities but mostly Irish, and I moved to Chicago about eight years ago to pursue an art career.

PTM:I’m curious about your artistic background. Are you self-taught or did you go to school?
AJ: I figured out in grade school that I had a talent for art, but I didn’t get serious about it until high school. I went to two colleges in Wyoming as an art major…and I had some good teachers along the way, but I really didn’t develop until I finished school. So I like to say that I had a classroom but I discovered how to paint on my own. I think all artists are basically self-taught.

PTM:What is the main idea or thought process behind your work?
AJ: It really depends on which painting you’re talking about; every painting has a different idea and a different approach.

PTM:When are you most creative and why do you think this is?
AJ: I’m most creative late at night. I guess I’m just a night person.

PTM:Where do you find your greatest inspiration for art?
AJ: The world around me is my greatest inspiration. People of all colors, shapes, and sizes inspire me. I like interesting-looking people.

PTM:What are your biggest doubts (assuming you have any) about your artwork?
AJ: The doubts I have are finding my audience, building collectors, and getting the prices I think I deserve for the paintings.

PTM:Are there any specific artists that you admire?
AJ: Living is Lucien Freud and deceased is Caravaggio.

PTM:How much control do you have over the final work of art and how much is left to the unexpected?
AJ: I have complete control; everything is intentional.

PTM:How has your life shaped the work you make, and how has your work altered your own life?
AJ: My life and work are inexplicably intertwined, especially my faith. The work is becoming more often a search for God. I am reaching for something, looking for something that lets us all know that we are here for a reason.

PTM:How is your artwork intertwined with the “human condition” or “human experience”?
AJ: I paint people in turmoil, in pain, in prayer. It’s all human experience. Just the act of creating the art is an example of the “human experience.”

PTM:Where does your need to create come from?
AJ: It comes from a desire to get ideas off of my chest. I see things going on in the world and I want to comment on them in an original way. This leads to one great desire to create a piece that will move people for centuries to come – to live on through my art like all the greats.

PTM:How do you measure your progress as an artist?
AJ: I measure my progress by consciously pushing my style of painting in new directions and by not repeating something I did in a previous painting that I think didn’t quite work.

PTM:In your opinion, what do you think defines and makes a “successful” artist?
AJ: I think if an artist can make a living just being an artist, then s/he is “successful”, but that doesn’t prove that s/he is any good.

PTM:What purpose do you think art serves in society?
AJ: Art serves many purposes, but I think the most important purpose is to simply make people think about things they wouldn’t ordinarily think about, or to look at yourself or the world in a different way.

PTM:Have you ever destroyed your own work or had it destroyed by someone or something else? What were the circumstances and your thoughts about it?
AJ: No, not yet. I can’t even bring myself to discard old paintings that I hate.

PTM:Has your artwork ever caused a strong reaction (either positive or negative) that you did not anticipate? Did the experience change the way you perceive your art? Did the negative feedback alter your way of creating?
AJ: Many, many times. I enjoy hearing other perceptions of my work. The only opinion that might cause me to make a small change is my wife’s.

PTM:Are you ever upset if people get a different idea from your work than intended? How important is it to you to convey a specific message or feeling through your art?
AJ: I don’t get upset. If the viewer gets a different perception, that’s fine. I mostly want people to be engaged with the piece and think.

PTM:Do you think it’s important that artists know art history, and why?
AJ: Very important. How good can a writer be if s/he has never read a good book?

PTM:Do you find yourself more fascinated by work that is not like your own, or work that has similarities to yours?
AJ: I am more fascinated with work unlike mine. I’ve never seen paintings like mine and I hope I never do, but I love studying how other painters paint the human form.

PTM:What are your methods of visualization? How does the process of creating an art piece begin?
AJ: It starts with observation. I pay close attention to the world around me, and I eventually see something that moves me that’s unique in some way, and I start sketching.

PTM:Did you choose, or were you chosen, to create art?
AJ: Both. I was given something great, but ultimately it is my choice to pursue and hone my God-given gifts.

PTM:Can you give us some examples of artists whose work you find inspiring or just really love? What is it that draws you to this work?

AJ: Rembrandt and Caravaggio. Rembrandt for his technique and Caravaggio for his emotional content.

PTM:Describe a recent breakthrough you made in yourwork. Was it self-realized or did it come from some external source?
AJ: No real “breakthrough”…just a constant pursuit of perfecting my technique, pushing on not to repeat my style exactly.

PTM:Can you talk about the elements you feel have the most substantial impact on the way you create?
AJ: My ability to be quiet and observe life. When you quiet your mind, the ideas come.

PTM:Is there an erotic element in your work? Or an avoidance of one?
AJ: I don’t think about erotic elements. It’s too easy portraying sex or eroticism. Besides, it’s been done to death.

PTM:Do you think your art is part of some school or movement? Is it of the moment or in an older tradition?

AJ: I’m not part of a movement. I am trying to take classical elements and reinterpret them in a modern context.

PTM:Outside of art, what do you enjoy doing?

AJ: I like watching movies, listening to music, playing with my wife and my cats, and smoking a good cigar.

PTM:Is there anything you’d like people to know about you that they don’t know already?
AJ: That I’m a male and not female.

PTM:Is there anything you want to say to the fans?
AJ: Do not accept mediocrity. The world is full of mediocre movies, music, art, and politicians, and we seem to be fine with it.

PTM:For those that are interested, where do we go to look at more of your work?
AJ: My website: www.aristeojaure.com.

PTM:Thank you so much for the interview. Good luck with everything.

AJ: Thank you for liking my work and giving me space in your fine magazine.

Anita Ferrer is an artist, but she is just as likely to describe herself as an over-comer. Her triumph over childhood abuse, domestic violence, and chronic illness, as well as her strong sense of faith, infuse her work.

Whether she is taking the stage or holding the pen, this poet, musician, and fashion designer seeks to deliver messages of hope and authenticity. The goal of this “spiritual pitbull” is to inspire others, particularly girls and young women in need of direction, to reach for the best within.

Ferrer’s next album, Mod Prophet, is due for release in the spring of this year. She brings her smoky voice to bear on Christian music ranging from hip-hop to alternative rock. In songs like “Brand New Beautiful,” she urges listeners to look below the surface of a pop culture she views as exploitative and spiritually void:
“I like the way you look & the way you walk/The flash of your smile & the way you talk/But there’s more to me than visual chemistry, so ya better think straight & embrace our spirituality.”
Touring around for the last several years, Ferrer has earned the nickname Asbury Park Angel. It is a fitting moniker for a woman with Asbury Park, New Jersey origins who urges people to “Vote for God.”

To hear samples of Anita Ferrer’s music and to see her artwork and merchandise, visit www.myspace.com/anitaferrer or asburyparkangel.com

PTM: How are you doing today?
Anita Ferrer: I take one day at a time with this health trial [recuperation from a jaw/throat ailment], but God gives me the strength and passion to press forward.

PTM: Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
Anita Ferrer: I’m a military brat, born in Stuttgart, Germany, a product of bicultural parents, a former victim of my tragedies. Now, in Christ, I’m a conqueror and overcomer. I’m also the founder of a production company, Brave Flame Outreach and Productions.

PTM: How would you describe your music to the readers?
Anita Ferrer: Since I’m a hybrid (German, Latino, and Indian), everything I create seems to fuse eclectic and anachronistic components and nuances. My style, ROZZ, incorporates the sophistication and intellect of jazz and infuses the raw power of rock. It’s androgynous, capturing and melding the bold masculine with the intuitive nurturing of the female essence.
I’m also a problem-solver, so writing good lyrics about spiritual, political, or relational issues is not enough. Most important is to offer a solution: leaders who provide and teach solutions are what America, the world, and the culture needs today. In my old age (laughs), I’ve become more socially and spiritually aware than ever, and in tune with the intangible nuances and changes that have pervaded our culture . . .
There is universal unrest because laws of nature have been broken. One cannot break the laws of nature and not suffer the consequences. Mental illness and emotional distress, physical breakdown and chronic or terminal illness, obesity, and crime are at all-time highs. We cannot go on breaking universal laws without expecting our world as we know it to collapse.

PTM: How did you learn to play or sing? Did you have formal musical training?
Anita Ferrer: I’m a self-taught rhythm hacker, but sat under the tutelage of an opera/classical teacher who taught me about singing from my diaphragm. Years later, I was apprenticed by my amazing ex-boyfriend, a gifted jazz improviser/pianist/composer. He taught me all there was to know about jazz. When I met Christ, I learned to develop my speaking, compassion, and intuition. Guitar came only seven years ago, when a handsome stranger came into my life and taught me a few basic chords. I took to the guitar in a week and wrote my first original song in a month.

PTM: Can you talk about your current project?
Anita Ferrer: I started the production of Mod Prophet (a CD) two years ago. Then I decided that my artistry improved, but upon becoming a part of Indie Heaven’s music/ministry community, I found I had a lot of work to do: muddy mixes, definitionless vocals, no compression, average musicianship in the players.

I contacted my old mastering guy, John Mulrenan, and now I’m swinging the axe, spiritually and artistically. He’s an amazing man with 35-years’-plus experience, a well-traveled, touring rock musician who has worked with veteran major label artists and has all the best current studio and mastering knowledge and programs. I can’t help but be a winner with him at the helm!

PTM: What are your musical influences?
Anita Ferrer: Compassion, truth, beauty, faith, hope, and love. Christ’s love, Mother Teresa, my wonderful husband. Friends who have gotten me.

PTM: Who are some of your favorite musicians?
Anita Ferrer: There’s something authentic, mesmerizing, and remarkable about female Canadian songwriters Alanis Morrissette, Sarah McLachlan, Jann Arden, and Joni Mitchell, as well as the awesome Celine Dion—a few of my Canadian favorites. I also love Tori Amos, Jewel, and Mariah Carey for overcoming hardship and poverty and using their impoverished backgrounds to give back.

PTM: What musician do you think has influenced you the most?
Anita Ferrer: Joni Mitchell and Jewel, because of their love for truth, honesty, beauty, and love. They also have the same soprano range as me and about four octaves. Joni Mitchell’s latest release, Shine, called out my name at a used CD store last week.

PTM: When most people hear the phrase “Christian music,” it calls to mind gospel music or uplifting music in a much softer vein. How do people react when they actually hear your sound?
Anita Ferrer: Strangely, I’ve gotten very little response in the past from fellow musicians in the online community. I believe God is keeping me obscure and buried until my artistry ascends. Performing live, however, is a different story. My live performances seem to grab people.
My fingers also get ogled a lot by guys when I play my originals at shows around town, and I often get compared to Joni Mitchell. It really depends on the venue. I find people in secular venues are much more responsive to my music and persona.

PTM: You speak of Mod Prophet as a call to change, love, and transformation. What kinds of changes would you like your music to inspire in listeners?
Anita Ferrer: Music and art are wonderful vehicles for hope, strength, and joy, but when the sensory excitements dim, you are back to reality. No one can make deep spiritual, societal, and tangible changes but Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. This modern culture needs the supernatural power of Christ, and many Christians are not walking in that power. Many are lukewarm, apathetic, and faithless. But we are to be in the world but not of it, salt and light, a pungent flavor, spicy. Still, we Christians are a bland dish; the secular music/art and media’s realm is filled with spicy trendsetters and personalities. How many Christians stand out in their uncompromising and excellent faith walk and artistry?
Our young people are constantly looking to secular artists and role models that are deluded, self-serving, and decadent. I’m really concerned about the direction toward which our young people are heading. These are supposed to be the leaders, role models, and lawmakers of tomorrow.

PTM: What are some of the challenges you face as a Christian artist?
Anita Ferrer: Because I touch on dark struggles, shameful strongholds, weaknesses, and human fallibility, my work will not be received by commercial Christian radio. To me, many of these radio programming execs are no better than the hypocritical Pharisees, the gatekeepers of salvation Jesus speaks about. They are bound to the worldly dictum of money and popularity. I’ll be hated for saying this, but the truth is the truth. Some will hear and some will heed.

PTM: Can you name any do’s and don’ts for Christian artists?
Anita Ferrer: Don’t be preachy or use “Christianese.” Be nonjudgmental, authentic, and non-pious. Be warm and real; listen with your heart, not just your head.

PTM: When did you realize that your calling was to have a Christian ministry, and to make Christian music?
Anita Ferrer: I don’t know if I was ever conscious about developing my calling. I just know God has produced some beautiful fruits of mercy and compassion, and [I feel an] urgency to rescue people from their pits of despair through the indwelling and transforming work of Christ. He does some very amazing artistry through cracked and broken vessels, and I’m humbled and honored to partake of His artistry!

PTM: Do you have any advice for aspiring spiritual musicians?
Anita Ferrer: Give back willingly, completely, and with total abandon. My song “Tell Me, Tell Me” states that true love is risking. Many Christians are afraid to love with abandon because of the cost, but Christ never feared risking, standing up in uncompromising truth, or giving His own life.

PTM: What kind of messages do you think young people are getting from music played on mainstream radio?
Anita Ferrer: Kids are getting horrible messages from mainstream radio—and, to be honest, Christian kids aren’t even getting a whole lot from mainstream Christian radio, because the CEOs are not interested in music that is spiritually and socially compelling. They are only concerned about music being technically compelling! To me, “compelling” means addressing the spiritual underground conditions of the soul; the environment; and the cultural and societal implications of sin and separation from God. God calls me to prophesy to this generation in boldness and power—the basement journals, the dark battles, the failures, the ugly scars and hurts I’ve suffered and that many all over the world have suffered. Though I enjoy worship tunes and church, unchurched kids and their nonbelieving parents aren’t gonna connect with happy praise ballads, and they certainly won’t step into a church. Many come from dysfunctional homes, have two parents who work full-time (and are materialistic), and have friends who have no interest in sacred things. I’m moving towards creating and producing music that is edgy and powerful, straddling the boundaries of faith, reality, suffering, conflict, and hope and transformation in Christ, through music that is not restricted to the sacred arena.

PTM: You do volunteer work with the homeless, prisoners, and other people in need. Where does the drive come from?
Anita Ferrer: I’m open to any requests to bring refreshment to the weary. It brings me joy to see people emancipated from their prisons and flying free, whatever their physical limitations. In Christ, we can all fly free.

PTM: It has been a pleasure talking with you. We at Poet Tree look forward to hearing and seeing more of your work.
Anita Ferrer: Thank you so much, Vagner. I covet your prayers and the prayers of these lovely readers and look forward to hearing positive responses. God bless you for giving me the chance to share my truth here in Poet Tree magazine.