Title: A Poet’s Diary 1: Poetry, observations, and realizations on social realities
Author: Dean Zeviar formerly known as Earnest Navar Williams
Publisher: Xlibris
ISBN: 978-1-5434-2535-2
Pages: 55
Genre: Poetry
Interviewed by: Beth Adams
Interview questions with Dean Zeviar
Today we are talking with Dean Zeviar author of “A Poet’s Diary 1: Poetry, observations, and realizations on social realities.”
PBR: God plays an important role in your work as it does in your life. How have you come to love your faith?
My relationship with God began through the influence of my grandmother. As a child living with my grandmother, she had taken out the time to be in God’s word and model her life as a godly grandmother. She took out time to read and meditate on God’s word every day. A reflection of God’s face began to grow in my heart. It was through my grandmother’s influence that I saw love, truth, authenticity, and seriousness.
Were you religious as a youth? —Yes. As a youth, I had worked toward a relationship with God, and was taught the way to God was through Jesus Christ.
I had struggled with the role of faith and religion as defined by the mainstream religious organizations. And as a result, I chose to be an adaptor like many other economically disadvantaged youths. I had accepted the faith for what it was to me. But, I did not follow it to the core. I had a strong belief in the connection to my personal God. That connection was inspirational to me, even though I was not actively involved in a single church, temple or mosque as a youth. I had found hope in God’s love, grace and mercy as those things had shown up in my life.
PBR: Does your family all go to Church together?
Yes, every child who lived in my grandmother’s home had to attend church together. In fact, because my grandmother was so active in church it seems as though we had lived there. As an adult, we continue to support each other, by accepting invitations to each other’s church. We also attend my aunties church together on special occasions. However, my church is anywhere God is, and when I can feel him there.
PBR: You seem to have deeply rooted strength. What has occurred in your life which enabled you to be so thoughtful and inspiring to others?
What has happened in my life which enable me to be so thoughtful and inspiring to others is my experience? At one point in my life my God, who created me, made me recognize that I had a lot of transgressions to overcome. I am happy to say today that with God’s love, grace and mercy and through Jesus Christ strength, I have overcome many of those transgressions, barriers, and traps establish by this system of things. I have hope with God and with Jesus Christ.
My happiest moments were as a child living with my grandmother, uncles, aunties, cousin, mother and visiting my father, grandfather, great grandmothers and great aunties. Everywhere I went I felt love as though God was there. Each of them had expressed a part of God’s love in their special way. God was their head, and Jesus was their joy.
I too accept that order. That is why I am so thoughtful and inspiring to others. I continually work toward Keeping His word within my heart. For at the end of the day, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”- Psalm 30:
PBR: Your choices of photographs to adorn each of your poems was very well done. Did you instantly know “that’s the one” when you saw it, or did you go through a selection process?
I went through a selection process with God. I had prayed for guidance through Jesus name before I pick the pictures. I could feel a warm sensation come over me with each picture. Praise God!
PBR: Who are some of the poets who inspired you throughout your years?
- The Holy Bible
- Williams Shakespeare
- Alfred Lord Tennyson
- Edgar Allan Poe
- Maya Angelou
- Li-young Lee
- Langston Hughes
PBR: What would you wish people would do differently after reading your poetry?
I want the readers to take away from “A Poet’s Diary 1,” a desire to seek a connection with their thoughts and feelings. As the readers discover their connection with “A Poet’s Diary 1,” I hopes they too find their connection with peace and happiness.
What I wish people would do differently after reading my poetry book is to understand that we are not alone, and God has made a way for all of us to find peace and happiness.
PBR: Are you planning to write additional poems and publish future collections?
Yes, I have written some other books, but I have not published them yet. The next book is an inspirational book. I have not decided on the title yet. The book will be under my new name,” Dean Zeviar.”
