In conversation with Ankur Jyoti Saikia

Our readers would like to know your inspiration (or story, if any) behind Farewell.

Embedded in the working hours of a person employed in an office are two specific events: condolence meeting and farewell meeting. In every farewell meet, we recollect all the virtues; seldom do we recollect that person’s trajectory in this office. Is there a pattern? Any scheme of events? If that employee were a tree, this office be a forest? 

Tell us more about your creative process in general.

‘Scribble, submit, repeat.’ (Less is more!)

Do you have any creative influences? What do you like the most about their work? Does it have a discernible effect on your writing?

Mary Ruefle, Jose Hernandez Diaz, Andrea Cohen, and Benjamin Niespodziany. Subtlety of form — obviously.

Are there any creative genres, forms, themes, techniques etc. you wish you could employ in your writing which you haven’t yet?

I am yet learning the art of poetry, there are lot of things I haven't tried yet and will employ as I learn them.

What are you looking forward to in your creative career?

Poems, poems, and poems and more poems.

Ankur Jyoti Saikia (he/his/him) is a forestry researcher based in India, who believes in his self-coined maxim: scribble, submit, repeat.

Twitter/X, Instagram & Bluesky: @amythfromassam