Evoking memories with poetry

Beth Steiner's Pearl Beach is my Book O The Week and this Blog features the conversation we had about some of the most important elements of the story. This is a story written entirely in verse, a personal story and one that will have resonance to many readers. It is a beautiful exploration of coming-of-age, family and friendships. A short read it is also powerful, a story that will find its place within you, resting there, remembered, not ever forgotten.

My thanks to Beth Steiner and to Vicki Berwick at Pushkin's Children's for making this Blog possible.

Pearl Beach is an evocative title. Did you intentionally choose it to have layered meanings for readers?

Good question! The choice of the title signifies the importance of place in the story. Pearl Beach is, in a way, one of the characters of the book, and plays a central part in Billie’s identity and growing up.

I also love the images that spring to mind when hearing the words Pearl and Beach together- somewhere bright, shimmery, wonderous and perhaps a little bit magic.

How much of the story stems from research you did once you knew what you wanted to write about, and how much is personal knowledge and connections?

There is a central character in the book, Edith, who is a Holocaust survivor. Edith is based on my grandmother, Nanny, who was a survivor herself, imprisoned in Bergen Belsen during the war. Edith shares stories of her childhood, both before and during the war with Billie, and many of these stories were ones that Nanny shared with me. Both Nanny and Edith took long sea voyages post-war to begin new lives in Australia. That was where the research came in. Nanny hadn’t shared much about the voyage whereas it became a central part of Edith’s story. A book called The Voyage of Their Lives by Diane Armstrong was very helpful for this section of the book.

You’ve written this novel in verse. Can you share some of the challenges that presents to you as a writer.

I am a poet, so I actually find it much easier to write in prose than verse! One thing I did find particularly challenging was writing diary entries in verse, but it was a challenge I enjoyed putting my brain to.

I'm certain teenage readers will relate to the story on some level. Is it important to you to share this history so it isn’t lost?

Yes, certainly. If we don’t remember history, we are doomed to repeat it.

Books, stories, keep memories alive even long after the original events. Do you believe that poetry can be used in the same way?

Yes, possibly to an even greater extent. Poetry can be evocative in a way that prose is not. There is so much incredible literature that came out of the Holocaust that provided humanity with an understanding of the experience of war. A poem that springs to mind is The Butterfly, written by Pavel Friedman, a boy who was held in Thereisenstadt Ghetto before being murdered in Auschwitz. 

You address the complexities of growing up, showing readers older generations had their own versions. Is that a message for the young reader of now and what do you hope they’ll gain from it?

Different generations face their own challenges growing up, but much of what is experienced is timeless and universal. First love, betrayal, friendship and growing apart, these are issues tackled by both Edith and Billie in the book, but seventy years apart.

Would you like to try writing a novel in prose or do you find more expression in poetry?

For now, I feel that my words flow more naturally in verse. I love verse. Its beautiful, but also accessible for reluctant readers, being less daunting with fewer words on the page. I’m excited that it seems to be a genre that’s just gaining more traction in the kidlit space!

Do you consider this story a novel in verse form or a collection of poems?

Definitely a novel!

How did you become a poet, can you share some of the influences that led you down that path?

I discovered slam poetry when I was nineteen and fell in love. Some early influences were Luka Lesson and Anis Mojghani. My first performance was on a trip to New York at the Bowery Poetry Club open mike and I loved the adrenaline rush of performing so much that I never stopped.