Photograph of Sheryl St. Germain ©teake zuidema. sept 16, 2017.

An Interview With Sheryl St. Germain by Rebecca Bestwick

By: Rebecca Bestwick, Business Manager and Poetry Editor

Who is Sheryl St. Germain? Now that is a loaded question. Sheryl is a well travelled woman rich with experience. She currently directs the MFA program in Creative Writing at Chatham University where she also teaches poetry and creative nonfiction, and is a poetry author who has been published multiple times. She visited Penn State Harrisburg as a part of the Spring 2018 School of Humanities Visiting Writing Series to discuss her newest poetry book and the opioid crisis in the United States currently.

The following interview was conducted on February 21, 2018.

Q: I noticed that you said in an interview the Times Picayune that “Making Bread at Midnight,” was where your voice as a writer developed. What advice would you give someone who is trying to find their voice?

A: As someone who came from New Orleans, I was ashamed of my accent. I felt that I had no authentic voice. For someone trying to find their voice, I say to accept who you are, and where you came from. It shapes who you are, and you cannot escape that. Listen to yourself as well, and do not be afraid to write about topics you do not know.

Q: If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?

A: Probably focus less on boys, think less about men, and read more. Overall though, regrets shape who you are.

Q: Since you have experience with our justice system through being the co-founder of Words Without Walls, what could lawmakers be doing better when it comes to eliminating the opioid crisis? Is there something missing from the national discussion of the opioid crisis?

A: I am growing quite tired of the same old narrative. There is no one answer or treatment for individuals suffering from addiction. Some countries are trying out places where individuals can inject themselves in a sterile environment surrounded by doctors. Others punish these individuals with jail and other penalties that will then follow them throughout their life. If it was up to me, I would say to throw away 30-day rehabs and to not inflict such damaging punishments upon them. They need help, and 30 days is not enough to “cure” somebody. I do also believe that there is a spiritual and moral crisis in younger individuals.

Note: The Words Without Walls program is where students earning their MFA in Creative Writing at Chatham University go and teach creative writing to individuals who are incarcerated, or in a rehabilitation center. Find out more at http://www.wordswithoutwalls.com/

Q: What can the average person do to aid in stopping the opioid crisis? Regarding addiction in general, what stigmas would you like to see disappear within the recovery process?

A: Try to get involved at rehabilitation centers. The more you meet these people and see them less as numbers, the more humanized they become. Something that could be done at a more local level is to create support groups for these individuals. You cannot force someone to quit their addiction, but you can love them. They may not project it onto you, but they may have an inner hatred for themselves. You can love and support them, but still hate the thing that they do. In plain sight, people saw individuals of color being the ones who were addicts. Now it has become a white issue, as individuals in the middle class are dying from this. This crisis has always been right in front of us, it could be your child’s teacher, the barista at your local coffee shop, or even the airline attendant that served you your beverage.


Overall, her works are not a light read, but they do speak the truth. If you get the chance, I would encourage you to purchase and read her newest poetry book, “The Small Door of Your Death”. It contains raw poems of the cycles of addiction, grief, along with tragedy, juxtaposed by visions of love, and hope. It tells a story of a mother’s recovery, her family’s history of addiction, and the passing of her son due to an overdose.

 

You can purchase Sheryl’s newest book here https://www.amazon.com/Small-Door-Your-Death/dp/1938769279

Leave a Reply