Fueling a creative fire: A poet’s journey to publication
By MARISA MATA, Student Writer
With poems published around the world, Ronald Dzerigian (2016) takes pride in representing and being a part of the Central Valley’s legacy of poets. In his authorial debut book of poetry, Rough Fire, Dzerigian continues a tradition established by Valley poets before him — bringing attention to the common person and highlighting the mysterious and moody qualities of the Valley — that initially attracted him to Fresno State’s MFA program.
Dzerigian said, “I was attending readings at the Fresno Art Museum and the Oakhurst Library — because I went to high school in Oakhurst — and I knew that [being in Fresno State’s MFA program] was something I wanted to do. I particularly wanted to study under Hanzlicek and Everwine. But I detoured greatly.”
“I wanted to do a lot of things. I wanted to be a painter. I wanted to be a musician…It took me a while to realize writing was really where I needed to be.”
Dzerigian enrolled in Fresno State’s MFA program after stepping away from poetry for almost a decade.
“I think the main thing I gained from being in the program is a system of attack. That rigor of being in an academic setting and having a lot expected of me helped me see that there should be a lot that I expect from myself on a daily basis.”
One of Dzerigian’s goals is to write every day. He aims to have written one good poem every week, and always has at least 25 poems submitted for publication. Publications number far fewer than rejections, however, but Dzerigian uses his rejections to fuel his creative fire. “I like to get the rejection letters because it keeps me wanting to move forward. The little person in me that’s a rebel wants to keep fighting,” he said.
Rough Fire, published this summer, faced 48 rejections before finding a publisher. The book explores themes of family, the unique landscape of the Valley, and transformation. Through these themes, Dzerigian hopes to explore the small moments of life and strike “a resonance with the human race.”
“I try to talk about the everyday experience, or the minutia, or the small things, because it’s my way of communicating with people who come from different experiences and backgrounds than I do. It’s a way for us to unite.”
Less than a year after the publication of Rough Fire, Dzerigian is already searching for publishers for two new manuscripts. “Both of the manuscripts are a little bit more emotionally raw…One is partially focused on my Armenian heritage, and the other is partially focused on the important women in my life and reevaluating what it means to be male.”
“I’m continuing to try to join in on a larger conversation as a poet. I believe everything I write about is reflective of the current state of the world, whether it be who’s in power or whether we’ve gotten enough rain. I’m thinking about what’s going on around us in California and as a nation.”
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