In Volume Six: Chapter Nineteen of the Program, we welcome Durango, Mexico-born, Toronto-based Poet, Author, Curator, and Writer Maria Giesbrecht. She is a graduate of the post-graduate Creative Writing program at Humber College and the winner of the Jack McCarthy Book Prize and the Lesley Strutt Poetry Prize. Her work has also been recognized as a finalist for the Narrative Poetry Prize, a Best of Net nominee, and the runner-up for the Eden Mills Poetry Contest. 

She is the author of the poetry collection Peeling Oranges, and her forthcoming collection A Little Feral is scheduled for release May 8 and is currently available for pre-order. 

In our conversation, Maria and I talk about how her love of language began early—reading a Nancy Drew book nightly as a kid—and how poetry first entered her life in eighth grade through a science teacher who introduced her to spoken word and rap.

We explore how writing became both refuge and release during difficult years growing up, and how persona poems help her navigate creative blocks.

Maria also reflects on her religious upbringing and the complicated relationship she has had with faith, doubt, obedience, and questioning—and how writing has helped her process that evolving spiritual conversation. 

We discuss the early-morning creative state she relies on for drafting poems, and the turning point when she left a career in corporate accounting to pursue writing full-time. 

Finally, we talk about her writing community Gather, the role it plays in supporting other writers, and the ideas behind both of her poetry collections.

Contact Maria:
Instagram: @theguelphpoet        Website: mariagiesbrecht.com

Recorded Spoken Word Performances Featured Include: 

Marie Foolchand – I am the People, the Mob
Instagram: @laframbuessa

Dua Saleh – Fractions
Instagram: @doitlikedua          Website: duasaleh.com

Gabriel Ramiez – On Realizing Im Black
Instagram: @poetramirez          Website: ramirezpoet.com 

Andrea Gibson: Nutritionist
Website: andreagibson.org        Instagram: @andreagibson

Dani Cook: Recess
Instagram: @thedanicook        Website: thisisdani.com

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