Interview with Poet and Essayist Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Gabriel Shen

Okay. My first question is: what is your connection to nature?

Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Um, well, I think we're all connected to nature. And I think some of us stay in tune and in touch with nature. And some kind of forget, or don't try to emphasize that part of our lives. But, whether we want to or not, we're all connected to nature. And I would say to you that my parents, raised my sister and I just outdoors as much as we could. I lived in places all over the country, but every place I was I was always outside as much as I could. So I just always felt nature was like a kind of refuge. For me, it was the one place where people didn't ask me questions about “Where am I from?” Or the dreaded, “What are you?” question. It was just, you know, the trees never asked me annoying questions like that. So I was just happy to be outside all the time.

Gabriel

So I know you write about each of these animals and plants and fruits and things you write about in the world of wonders. Of all of them, which one is the most meaningful to you?

Aimee 

It's such a good question. It's hard, you know. Next week, I might have a different answer. But I think it would probably be the peacock. Only because that was one of the first moments where I realized I just don't care anymore, what people say, [...] and the people who truly are my friends, or who care about me would never make fun of anything from my background,[...] they would embrace it. I think that was a very conscious moment where I was like: I'm just done trying to be the same as everybody else, [...] and we should embrace how different we are.

Gabriel

So I know that each of the animals you write about seems to connect to either stage for a moment or a memory or something in your life. So what natural wonder, do you think connects to your time here at Blake so far?

Aimee

Oh, that's a very good question. You know, I have to do a little bit of thinking on that. [...] Maybe it's a maybe it's an easy answer, but I just love the Minnesota loon. I love how they take care of the young ones on their back. And help nurture them. And I love their haunting call. And you can it's just so distinctive from any other link burn. [...] And I just think of that as Blake's ripple effect of its students going out into the world and all the good stuff that they have to offer. So on a metaphorical level, I'll say the loon reminds me of my time at Blake.

Gabriel

Where, where do you write so? Where?

Aimee

Yeah, you know, I do everything longhand, so I love that question. I'm a big suckerer for school supplies. I still obsess over school supplies. So [...] all my drafts are written out longhand first and then I got to the computer. There's something with the movement of a hand [...] that gets me into a different space. For metaphor. it gets me unfettered. When I'm looking when I'm typing on a laptop, it feels more methodical. I can write obviously on a laptop, but it's not my favorite. I love doing everything in longhand. Yes.

Gabriel 

So I know your next book is coming out soon,

Aimee

One week from today.

Gabriel 

What's it about?

Aimee 

It's called Bite by Bite. And the subtitle is called Nourishments and Jamborees. It's a collection of 41 illustrated essays about food. But also it includes folklore and, origin stories of like, where did we get vanilla? But I wanted to focus on the joy. It came about after the pandemic, we were so isolated and alone, I wanted to turn to food, because that was one of the things I missed so much is, gathering family or friends around the table. So I wanted to focus in you know, the Jamborees part is all the all the kinds of so-called parties and joy that food gatherings bring me.

Gabriel 

So, I know your previous books have been collections of poetry. And how did you transition from poetry to essays?

Aimee 

That’s such a great question. You know, my graduate degree is actually in poetry and essays. I just had earlier success with poetry. So I've always loved essays, but I always kept it on the back burner. It was around the 2016 election that I just, I felt like I had a lot to say, and I wanted to be bigger than a poem. But I'm still a poet at heart, so I think my longest essay is like five pages. After five pages, for me, that's like running a marathon. So I knew I wanted it to be bigger than a poem, but my essays are still short. So it wasn't a hard transition. It was more of just concentrated focus. Poems were always calling to me and I have to say, okay, me stop focus. [...] You're staying on animals right now, you know. And now that my food book is done, I'm back to poems. So that's what I was writing yesterday, actually here in town when I was in my hotel. So I'm happy to be back to poems, but I love genres that blend into each other.

Gabriel 

Because I know that your essays are very poetic. 

Aimee

Thank you. 

Gabriel

All the words sort [flow] into each other.

Aimee

I just had no interest in doing a lecture, like a book of lectures. You know, I wrote it originally for my sons who were six and nine. And when I was revising it, I didn't have scientists in mind, I had my best friends in mind. So hopefully, I think you can feel that it was more of like, sharing stories. And because I'm a nerd, I have all these facts about Axolotls and [...] and narwhals. But I really was not trying to, you know, lecture give a scientific lecture about here's a book of facts. There's plenty of books out there. I really wanted to showcase what it was like growing up loving these plants and animals.

Gabriel

So where do you get your inspiration from? What inspires you or motivates you to write?

Aimee 

That's so good, um, multiple places. I kind of don't believe in writer's block. And which I know annoys my students sometimes. But the way I look at it is there's so many things on this planet to write about that you might not, you might have trouble concentrating. But I don't think anybody really has writer's block. And what I mean by that, too, is just kind of the world is your oyster in terms of what to write, it's more of, can you carve out time to practice your art to make time to write. 

So I would say what motivates me is growing up, I saw no books that featured anybody that even remotely looked like me, and most of the nature books I read were all by men. And I thought that was so strange because I grew up with a really great mom who was outside all the time. And, when I was in Chicago, I would see people of all different backgrounds and people in wheelchairs and people with brown skin and things like that. But the only books it was so frustrating, and my high school and middle school, and even mostly into college, the majority of them, like I'd say 90% of them, were all by men. And those are great. They became classics. But [...] what motivates me is to get nature books that are written by [...] authors with a variety of backgrounds. 

And then also, I just, I also think of all of my books as [...] one big love poem to the earth but also to my family. So it serves as [...] a record of that. World of Wonders [is] dedicated to my parents, but it's also just as much to my son as well. So, you never take anything for granted as an author. This food book might be my last, who knows. Maybe people will be sick of reading my work. So that's always in the back of my mind. [...] I just want to bring everything I have to each book, and let it be like, Wow, the world was kind of a hot mess, but Aimee really loved the planet. That's what I want people to say.

Gabriel

So within the book, I know each chapter focuses on a specific animal or plant or something. And the connections between your own life and the animal in the animals and plants are so unique, and they're different each time how do you come? How do you connect these things?

Aimee 

You know, it's, thank you so much for that. You know, I don't have a set answer because, but I would say 80% of them I thought of the [moment first]. I was collecting moments from my childhood and teenage years. And into grown-ups time. And then I was pondering what animal kind of, reminds me of the scene or the situation. About 20% of the time I had an animal that I really wanted to tackle. And [...] then I was like, almost like in the background like, what, what, what can I use for my life in here? Some of them, I did not make a connection like the Cassowary. [...] That one, I just had nothing else to say except just pure description for the animal itself. I thought it was such an unusual bird. It's the only bird that has ever been known to kill a human. 

I would say with that I wanted to showcase something easy, like a butterfly that most people have seen. But I also wanted to include things that maybe not so many people, including me, I have not seen a casarray in person. And I wanted to prove that just because you didn't spend time with it doesn't mean it's not worthy of care. 

I don't have one answer, like, well, I did this technique throughout the whole book. But I'd say 90% of the time, maybe 80% of the time, I had a moment from childhood first or from my 20s first, and then I came up with the animal or plant. 

But yeah, I had 200 of them at first and I whittled it down to 2028, I guess or I don't know how many is in there. 24. So yeah, so it wasn't necessarily my favorites that I kept in but the ones that I had the most questions about. And I also wanted to showcase a range of emotions, like no one wants to read, like an author just be like “tra la la, everything in nature is happy. And by the way, I'm so happy.” 

I included things in there like the octopus, where I was so upset with myself, I don't know if you read that one. But I accidentally killed an octopus. And I wanted to showcase that I make mistakes. And I thought it was so strange that other nature books written by men never showcase their mistakes. Like they're talking about conquering this mountain or these planes or these forests. And they don't mention, like any help. Or, like, “Who are these indigenous people that were there beforehand? Many of them were married with families, they don't even mention their kids. So I thought that was really weird to not mention their whole selves. 

I don't know if you've studied Henry David Thoreau in any classes. He's a transcendentalist. He wrote a book called Long Walden Pond, and it was known to be the father of nature writing. Well, what he conveniently leaves out of his nature reading is that it was his mom who was doing his laundry, and sharpening his pencils. So yeah, he had all the time in the world to be staring at a pond and writing his observations, but his mom was helping him, so I wanted to include all the messy stuff like that I had kids and that he liked spending time with my husband. There shouldn't be weird, strange things.

Gabriel

So I know that food and nature are very important to you. So this is sort of two questions, but what is your favorite food and what is your favorite place to go?

Aimee

Gosh, that’s so good. It's almost impossible to say a single particular food because again, my answer can change even later today. But I would say, I would say, oh my gosh, that's such a tough one. It could be a whole meal for me. But I love a good it's like summertime ripe mango, something that doesn't have a whole lot of fibers in it. That is like a whole meal. If I had like two mangoes I’m done. 

But I also love there's this street food sandwich called a gyro. Something they’re pronounced gyros, but the real pronunciation is gyro. I love gyro sandwiches. 

So in this book, there's been a lot of books by chefs or world travelers, you know, like food snobs. This is not one of them. I tackle things like apples, but also maybe some rare fruits like something called the Saba banana, you know, same way with World of Wonders is that I included some animals that hopefully people know and then some animals that maybe some people don't know, as well. 

But favorite place? Oh my gosh, it's a tough one, I might have to say, I’ve only been to two of the islands. But Hawaii might be my favorite place. But it's complicated. I didn't realize I didn't realize how much until I was there, you can read about it, read about it. But until you're there, then you realize, oh, that was the majority of them never really wanted to be part of the United States. So I feel guilty even saying it, but I definitely can appreciate its beauty. And I was there on invitations of Native Hawaiians. So it wasn't just throwing trash around the islands or anything like that. 

But it is interesting, they kind of leave that part out of history books is how much Hawaiians don't really want [...] anything to do with the United States. And that makes me sad. For many reasons, they should be independent, and things like that. And I'm just saying Hawaii is probably the most gobsmackingly beautiful place I've ever been.

Gabriel 

So the last chapter of your book, which is that I think it's a second Firefly chapter, right? It seems to be showing that you think that kids should be spending more time outside and spending more time in nature. What is your message to the kids and students at Blake?

Aimee

Yeah, you know, I always feel like, I feel like I have to put a footnote there. Because I've had some grumpy teenagers sometimes. But once people meet me, they know that I'm not. I feel like I need to put a footnote to say I'm not anti-screens. I'm on social media. 

But in the last 20 years, I've seen an absolute decrease in student knowledge of the outdoors. Just when I say knowledge, I mean, they don't need to know scientific names of flowers. Fewer students know how to even climb a tree because they're just not outside. And when I asked them, like, what are you doing in the summer? The number one answer is movies, or I'm actually not number one answer. Number one answer is video games. Number two is like movies or whatever, but they're on their phones. 

So again, I'm not trying to ban anything. But I would say to just remember what it's like when you were a kid. And I just spoke to the, to the preschoolers and kindergarteners here. All of them. 100% of them could name easily what they like to do outside. The college students, they have to think about it for a little. And if they do have something favorite, many of them only have memories. Like, “I remember going fishing with my dad or something or my grandpa.” And I was like, “Well, what's something that you do outside now?” And so many of them have no answer. They're like, “Well, I can look at birds when I'm walking to and from class. But I'm like, you gotta be outside!”

So that's a big answer. But I would just say, as much as you can, because I think in high school and middle school brains are literally not developed yet. As much as you think you're grown already and things like that, physically our brains are not developed yet. And I think there haven't been studies enough to see what effect cellphones are having, just the quickness of information. So whatever you can do to be outside and away from screens, not banning the screens, but just to remember what it's like to be curious about outside.

Gabriel 

So what's your favorite thing to do outside?

Aimee

Oh my gosh, so many. Well, I love I love bird-watching number one, but I also like playing tennis. And my son is a junior now and he's on the varsity tennis team and I am sad to say I've stopped. Last year was the first year. I'm embarrassed I like before I'd be a little easy on him, you know, I am playing my heart out and I get beat by him. [...] I'm a former varsity district champion. [And] that is a hard thing to swallow. 

But I also am beaming with pride that he could just completely beat me in the set now, and I'm huffing and puffing and he's just racing through. So birdwatching in tennis with my boys. I mean, I just like gardening too. I love swimming. 

So I mean, that could be the whole interview is just outdoor activities with me. During the school year, I love bringing my students outside and teaching them the names of trees or teaching them how to birdwatch. So all of those things are my favorite. It's so great when I see a frat boy or a sorority girl who doesn't actually claims “I hate nature.” After they finish taking my class, they end up knowing seven birds, you know, just on site or by calls. And that brings me so much joy more than any award or anything like that. That's a big answer. I'm sorry, but I love being outside. So it's easy to say.

Gabriel

So this question is a lot like the one of the previous one. About what natural wonder do you think describes your current stage of life? 

Aimee

Oh my gosh. Nobody has asked me that question ever, ever in 20 years. That's so beautiful. Gosh, I could almost do an entire essay. This could be like an appendix for a third edition of World of Wonders. [...] So what wonder to describe the stage of life. [...] I would say I'm looking because I'm cheating here because in the back of this one, I have a list there's always everybody you know, a lot of times people ask me what other wonders do you wish you wrote about but nobody's asked me specifically to capture this part of my life. Because I can always write I mean, asked me to write an essay on any animal today I could do it but for this part of my life and I have a list here that says like, oh, what would I do? 

I’ll go with a painted bunting. Do you know what a painted bunting is? 

Gabriel

I think I do.

Aimee

It has all the three main colors. It's red, blue and yellow altogether. That's my dream bird. It's called a lifer for the first time you ever seen it. It's not a lifer yet. But that will be my number one dream bird. If and when I see it, and they're traveling right now. This is the season that they're migrating through Mississippi and I'm on a group text with a bunch of birders, some biology professors and ornithologists and it's driving me crazy when they're like “painted warbler or seen at da da da, so and so. And usually, I'm on the road I can't have like, can you take me off this when you see a painted warbler because I get mad that I'm not there. 

I think although the one that's the most colorful one is the male I just think. Gosh, without getting too too deep here because again, this could be a whole essay, I would just say the painted warbler is unafraid anymore and doesn't apologize for who they are. They're just so audacious It's kind of the most colorful of all the backyard birds. And it's not shy about it. They can be as wacky as they want and they're just tired of they're not trying to be anything else but this bright, colorful unabashed bunting. I love their Moxie I guess. I love their vibe as my boys would call it.

I love the painted bunting’s vibe, but it's a male so I feel like you know the other thing I would say the female Blanket octopus. That's one of the only animals where the female is more colorful than the male. So maybe the better answer is like octopus, but I like her. It's impossible. Once you look at both of them, you'll see why it's impossible for me to choose just one.

Gabriel

So one last question. Do people ever pronounce your last name wrong? Because I know on your website, you have a recording of you saying it.

Aimee 

Yeah, my whole life that has happened. Actually, Blake has been incredible. Everyone from kindergarteners to administration has said my name correctly, so I have to give a round of applause for Blake. It bothers me less now, but it used to really bother me when people wouldn't even try. Or they would make a joke about it before I would come on stage. 

That's the stuff that's kind of annoying and heartbreaking. Like, wow, you don't know how to say it so you're gonna just make fun. It'd be the equivalent if I'm talking with a mathematician, and I don't understand what they're doing, but I know that it's important. And if I just got up in front of a crowd of 500 people, and said “look at those silly little formulas.”It's kind of just insulting.

But you'd be surprised how many grownups don't have home training. But I've been so pleased. That's another just great memory, I'll have of Blake. Is that pre-K students and all the way up know how to pronounce my name. So yeah, I put it there actually, at the behest of actually my kids who were just disgusted. My kids when they were little, you know, they'd be with me at the grocery store. And if a cashier looked at my credit card or something, and said, “That's a crazy name. Let me just see how to pronounce it,” and then they take up like, 10 minutes time, and they would still butcher it even after I'd say it. The boys, who were like, six years old, would be like, “gosh, what an idiot.” So I did that to kind of just help people. And again, I don't mind when people ask. I love when people ask. It's when they make fun of it first, that's when I have a problem with it. Then I've been turned into not smiling me anymore.

Gabriel 

So those are all my questions. Do you have any other things you would like to add?

Aimee 

[...] I would just say, I've just been so impressed with the faculty and students. Curiosity here at Blake, and it's truly like I can tell I don't have to teach anybody here how to have wonder. It's something that's part of the fabric of the school already. And it's just been so fun to get to meet everybody.