Life of a Poet - Tatius Darksong

Kids, have you been intrigued lately, as I have been, with the poet named Tatius Darksong? His poems, at his site Tatius T. Darksong,  the concealment of mystic nights hidden behind magic veils,   made me sit up and take notice, but when I was poking around his site, looking for information about him, I couldn't find any. So I decided to interview him! Now we have him in the hot-seat - he has to spill the beans! 

P.U.: Don't worry, Tatius, I'll be gentle. I have been so wanting to ask you: how did you come up with your wonderful name?

Tatius: Well the Darksong has always been there from the beginning, when I first started writing, I realized they were dark and I thought of it as singing my songs of darkness.  From the darkness comes the light as I began to understand some of my inner feelings. Believe it or not the name Tatius just popped up in my mind one day, it just sounded cool to say Tatius T. Darksong ...lol.  

Then I decided to google the name Tatius and found it to be the name of a Greek writer Achilles Tatius. I said now I have something going here, hmmmm.... Let’s see what I can do here, got my name, maybe pat on the back from Tatius himself: let's write. The middle T was from the name of my first blog tOuChNindigo. I got a little discouraged, stopped writing and it was history, but I decided to try it again.

P.U.: We are so glad you did! I love that story.  And I remember tOuChNindigo. Where do you live, Mr. T., and what stage of life are you in? I have found few clues on your site.

Tatius:  Now I am living in Texas. I returned to the town that I was born and raised in, a good place to retire. I am in that stage of life where life becomes clear and meaning becomes everything. I have reached that philosophical stage in my life. I am employed by a conglomerate that produces product for several different subsidiary companies. I am not trying to be secretive but I am not at liberty to give the name of the company right now. I have a wonderful wife and one son that I am very proud of. 

Me and my wife,

in Turtle Lake, Saskatchewan

This is a picture of my son and his wife - he is a firefighter in the Houston city area. 

Two lovely people that I am extremely proud of. 

P.U.:  How wonderful!  So you're a Texas boy. A memory of childhood you’d like to pull from that time?

Tatius: I grew up in a small town in east Texas, one of those towns as a kid you can't wait to get away from but as time goes on you realize it's a place you wouldn't mind retiring to in those twilight years.

My most fond memories are from being in a somewhat large family and the love that was shown to each one of us and how we were taught to show it also. The family gatherings and the games we played with each other as a family. Being the youngest in a family of 4 girls and 4 boys I could tell you some stories.Boy could I tell you some stories, but that would be a book in the making.

Galveston, Texas midway

P.U.: Oh it sounds  wonderful! Let us know when you write that book, okay?  You have a voice that is uniquely yours, a mix of light and darkness, lost souls and found, howls and cosmic dust. Have you always written in this voice, or did it develop over time? Your poems are haunting.

Tatius: Sherry, the voice is life as I  see it sometimes, not just my life but others I talk and listen to. Some tell me that some of the things I write are a little too dark and I try to pull my mindset from that way of thinking. I try to get it on paper if I can, and make sense of it later, but when the thought is there light, dark, souls lost - any of it - a part of life has touched me and will continue to touch me. I actually didn't really start writing until maybe about 4 years ago. I reached a hurdle in my life and to understand myself I wrote and wrote.

 Tatius' drawing of elephants

  In a sense I pulled myself away from my life to read of myself and dissect my life before I could move forward to a better understanding of where I needed to go and how to get there. To tell the truth I saw a direction and I ran for it and still running. Things are better and getting better each day. The voice? Time developed this voice and still developing, trying different things.

P.U.: I think we all  write to understand ourselves better. Interesting thought. Were you exposed to poetry as a child?

Tatius' art - I love this drawing!

Tatius:  I was introduced to poetry and many other things as a child. My Mother loved to read and she would read to me, she taught me how to read and the love of the written word. I guess the adventures that come out in some of my writing stems from that also. She loved mysteries and science fiction so the land of Sel and stone trees that burn are buried inside me somewhere, and waiting for that time when it can all come together and make maybe an interesting story.

I never wrote any poetry or such in high school. I was a so called jock and you didn't let everyone know you liked to read books for fun (kids back in the day). My talent that was noticed in school and as I grew older was another passion of mine:  art. I did some drawing and painting. My teacher noticed this and had me working on school projects and entering art fairs. 

I was a lucky kid with the parents and family I had. My Father was a teacher and I had several family members that were in the field of education so the encouragement was always there. Sometimes it just takes a little longer for you to hear the words that are said to you.

P.U.: That is so true. Tatius, I love your paintings. You are very talented.  What is it about poetry that you chose it as one of your means of creative expression?

Tatius: I think poetry chose me and I ask myself that question each time I sit down and write, and each time I try to quit writing.....why me? It's like once I started I can't stop and if only you knew how many times I have tried. I have come to the realization if I don't blog I will continue to write and maybe one day this voice will be fully developed.

Vancouver harbour

P.U.: Do keep writing! That's the journey! What makes poetry sing for you?

The words, the understanding, to each it may be different, but neither or wrong, the feeling, the freedom, and I can keep going but the main thing is to know something I wrote may have touched someone and made a difference.

P.U.:  I'm sure many of your poems have. Do you also write prose?

Tatius: Sherry, you know I never really thought about form, but that's what drew me to the poetry blogs - to learn. I am learning.

Vancouver

P.U.: Favorite established well known or classical poet? 

Tatius:  I have read work from several poets and seem to enjoy them all. To be honest, and this may sound funny, but I try not to stay with any one particular poet. You tend to copy their style and in order to be true to myself I switch it up. Now some of the poets that I keep going to are the spiritual and devotional type like Hafiz, Rumi and Sri Aurobindo.

P.U.: Some of my faves, too. What led you to creating a blog? How has that impacted your writing?

By the Ottawa art gallery

Tatius: I started my blog just to see if any of this stuff :) that I was writing really meant anything to anyone else. I shared some of it with friends and family and they said it was good but they are family and friends so you think to spare my feelings, be nice. To share it with people and get honest opinions I decided to start a blog and every now and then something got some notice. So I thought we'll continue to write for a while and see what happens.

P.U.: Do you have a favorite time of day or night to write? Do you have – or create – enough time to write?

Tatius: I prefer to write at night when everything quiets down a little. I carry a note pad with me all the time and if I see hear or feel anything I make my notes. I used to try and write daily but during my working time I am away from home for 14 hours out of the day and at days’ end just too exhausted mentally to think straight. I try to spend time writing on my days off and visiting other poets on their blogs. I feel bad sometimes because I can't visit as many and make more comments but I try. Now to not force anything I just write when that "voice" is trying to tell me something, I have learned to listen.

P.U.: Do you have a mentor, or someone significant in your life who has encouraged your writing?

"I will walk with you through this journey."

Tatius: I have no mentor as such, but I have a very loving person in my life that is my best friend first and my wife second. We met and it's as if she saw me trying to understand the direction to go and said I will walk with you through this journey and together we will see what happens. She has taught me a lot about myself and the main thing she has taught me is patience. She has inspired many of my writings mostly the softer and lighter side. She is my light through so much darkness.

Tatius and his wife in Paris, Texas

P.U.: She sounds absolutely wonderful. We are happy for you!  Are there any causes you are passionate about?

Tatius: Sherry, I am passionate about a lot of things, just ask my wife; she listens. I guess my most passionate thing would be equality. I grew up in a time when that was a topic of discussion all the time and sometimes a dangerous discussion. I have lived history that we read about, I came from a family that was protective but willing to expose you to life as it was and let you decide... you make a difference.

P.U.: Equality for all is the world’s challenge, for certain. The great thing about being a poet is you can address inequities and human rights in your work. Paintings, as well as poetry.

Tatius: I try my hand at painting and sketching, I have grown an attraction to photography also. I am thinking one day to maybe sketch or paint from my pictures and put words to them. I wish I could play a musical instrument. I love music, which is one of my focal points when I write. Have some music on and let your mind travel and see what you create.

P.U.: I see from your photos you have traveled a fair bit. Favorite trip?

Tatius: The best place I've been, I would have to say, is Mexico; that's where I first met my wife and a new life began. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for this place, so many memories and hopefully many more to come.

In Mexico

P.U.: I hope so, too. Other interests?

Tatius: I love the outdoors - anything with nature, you can't go wrong, guess that comes from being a country boy. My main interest at one time or maybe a hobby for me was building computers. This was an interest I took up when I decided to have one for myself so I read a little and unassembled and reassembled until I was ready to build my own and that was the start. These days, more outdoors and photography and writing.

Banderas Bay, Mexico

P.U.: Anything else you’d like to share with Poets United?

Tatius: I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful comments and words of encouragement that I have received from many of the members of Poets United. I have never considered myself as a poet and still don't, but you guys make me feel like I have started on the right path to become one. Sherry, thanks a bunch for the opportunity to bring my voice from the darkness.

P.U.: It is our pleasure, Mr. T! You keep writing! And we’ll keep reading. By the way,  by definition, you write poems, so you are a Poet. Keep shining, kiddo!

Well, kids, one more poet making his journey. You can find Tatius on Facebook too, at http://www.facebook.com/tatius.darksong.5  Isn't it true that the people behind the pen are some of the most interesting folks around? Come back and see who we talk to next. Who knows? It might be you!