Making It to the Other Side: An interview with writer Bryan Thao Worra
January 3, 2009
Bryan Thao Worra is a Laotian American writer who’s taking an unorthodox route to success, and it’s paid off.
At 36, his work is taught in classrooms around the world. He appears in almost 100 international publications, including the Journal of the Asian American Renaissance, Mid-American Review, Poetry Midwest and anthologies like Outsiders Within and Bamboo Among the Oaks. Thao Worra’s first full-length book of poems, On the Other Side of the Eye, took an unusual route to publication, going through a publisher of science fiction and fantasy rather than Asian American publishers or traditional publishers of poetry in the United States.
The Minnesota resident made headlines last month when it was announced he was a 2009 NEA Fellow in Literature for poetry, which includes $25,000 to continue his work as a writer — a significant accomplishment considering he was neither an English major during his studies at Otterbein College in Ohio nor does he have an MFA.
Thao Worra, whose work is acknowledged as a pioneering voice comparable in many ways to Langston Hughes or William Saroyan, recently spoke about his writing.
Where did you get the idea to write ‘On the Other Side of the Eye’?
Bryan Thao Worra: It came as a semi-autobiographical distillation of my experiences as I saw humans navigate a world where everyone sees almost everyone else as alien and “the Other.” I was inspired by many of the classics of science fiction, folklore and the Southeast Asian refugee experience in America. The more I looked at it, the more I wanted to question how we embark on our greater inner journeys in an uncertain world. An eye, like many things in life, has two sides, and I think that’s worth exploring.
How did it feel to receive an NEA Fellowship?
BTW: It was an exhilarating and affirming experience. It’s been part of a long road, and I’m grateful for all of the people who’ve been with me along that journey. For many weeks, I was still wondering if it was all a dream because words can’t express what an honor it is to be selected as one of 42 fellows from over 1,000 applicants across the country. It will definitely help me carry out my work in poetry. I’m particularly happy because of the meaning it has for other writers from Laos, and I hope it encourages them.
What are the keys to your success in getting ‘On the Other Side of the Eye’ out to the public?
BTW: My friends and family have of course been big supporters, and I think I’m buoyed by a confidence that this is something you haven’t seen before. On the Other Side of the Eye is a start to conversations on many things, and I’m fortunate many people see that. I think an openness and enthusiasm about your own work and a willingness to talk about how poetry matters or can matter in the lives of those you meet is vital.
What is your writing process?
BTW: I can write in many situations. I tend to write in relative silence and out of the house. On the Other Side of the Eye was mostly written from the coffeehouses of Saint Paul, Minn., over the space of year but also drew on work created over the last 17 years. My publisher, Sam’s Dot Publishing, was very generous in letting me constantly tweak the manuscript throughout the process to fine-tune it.
What’s next for you?
BTW: I am finishing up my new book of poetry, Barrow, with a hope of getting that released in April. I’m also trying to organize a series of artistic exhibitions and summits for Laotian Americans to encourage a greater engagement with imagination and creativity. I’ll also be traveling across the country to discover the different ways language shapes our view of the world.
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read his book! excellent poet on the topic of Lao and Asian American experience