Featured Poem: Dread/Land/Locked

Dread/Land/Locked is a stunning free-verse poem by The God Of Thunder. In this week's Featured Poem, we take a closer look at this wonderful work.

How would you summarize Dread/Land/Locked?

It is a very vague and short story reflecting upon a relationship, and how the other's dreadlocks acted like a motif to represent the nature of that person.

How did you choose the title for it?

I was interested by the similarity of the wording "land locked" and "dread lock." I thought being land-locked was extremely relevant to the story of the relationship, being surrounded by it on all sides and feeling contained, and how that also was also reflected in the character's tightly bound hair.

What inspired you to write this poem?

I had just cut off all the dreadlocks of my now ex-partner and was really inspired by the symbolism of it.

What was your favorite thing about writing Dread/Land/Locked?

It helped me verbalize how I felt about a certain event, turn it into fiction so that I could look at it in a new perspective, and move on from those feelings.

When writing, do you have any rituals you follow?

Typically my writing pattern involves a three-step process of: 1) Having exciting prospects while I'm writing it, 2) Being disdainful of it when I read over the final piece, and 3) Absolutely admiring it weeks or months later, wishing I could write that well again.

Is there anything you would like to say to anyone who reads your poem?

Search for relative terminology and historical references in the poem, I like to hide them in the structure and wording!

Do you have any other poems you think people would enjoy?

I have a pseudo-sequel to this poem called Dreadful, Locked that looks upon the same situation in a more precise and final way.

Special thanks to sheepcat; and Fandango for editing!

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