Meet Alyssa Troy - dipity Community Spotlight Q&A Interview no. 8

learn more about poet and author Alyssa Troy's work through dipity's global interview monthly spotlight feature

Feb 19, 2024

Introduction

Alyssa Troy is an English teacher in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She has a B.A. in English and Secondary Education (Rider), an M.Ed. in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (Cabrini), and an M. Ed. in Reading (Eastern). She published her first book, Transfiguration, in 2020. Her work is published or forthcoming in Blue Unicorn, Discretionary Love, Cool Beans Lit, and Wingless Dreamer.

I Find Comfort in the Zodiac Signs by Alyssa Troy

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We were never meant to be—
according to the scriptures of astrology—
and after happening upon this revelation,
I scavenged for any aperture that might call
into question the accuracy of this assertion.
To my dismay, there was none.
Jupiter challenges us in the way we grow: while 
I question and debate, you empathize and dream.
Mars warns me to proceed with caution while 
it begs of you to charge at life with no hesitation.
And yet, I think of our moons... how they pacify 
each other, promising to never abandon the other in 
darkness. And Venus pleads her case, showing 
that the way we love complies with compatibility...
I tried holding onto these truths, displaying them 
as if they somehow outranked the strength 
of our suns, but there is no contending what 
the stars have proclaimed. I have found solace 
in knowing there is nothing I can do to 
rearrange the sky for the odds to be in our favor.

Q: What is the backstory of this poem?

I do actually have quite an infatuation with the Zodiac signs. In fact, I planned both of my sons' births so that they would be compatible with the signs of me and my husband (my husband is a Taurus and I am a Cancer; my first son is a Taurus and my second son is a Cancer). This poem is a reflection of how, in regards to anyone’s relationship, I always check the compatibility with the signs first. If it doesn’t work out and the signs predicted it wouldn’t, it can be somewhat comforting to think “ah, it wasn’t in the stars!”

Q: What was your most recent publication?

My poem “Abominable” was selected for publication by the online literary journal Discretionary Love.

Q: What else do you do outside of the writing or poetry community? or What else are you working on or excited about in the future? Any fun hobbies?

Besides writing poetry, I am a full-time 8th grade English teacher. I try to support my students in everything they do by attending their sporting events, plays, and school dances. I am a frequent concert-goer, and I try to attend at least 10 concerts a year. I am also a huge Philadelphia sports fan, and I try to go to a game for each Philadelphia sports team once per season. Also, I have been working on a new book that I hope to put out in the next year or so!

Q: When did you begin writing? OR What or who sparked and inspired your writing journey?

Writing has been a passion of mine since I was in elementary school. My fifth grade English teacher noticed that I always put more effort into my work if I could write poetry for an assignment, so she went out of her way to buy me a journal, hoping it would inspire me to continue writing. At first, I really enjoyed writing lyrics and writing music on my guitar to match. As I matured, I found poetry to be a better means to express myself.

Q: What advice would you give aspiring poets, authors, or fellow writers in the community?

It can be hard to face rejection, especially if you put yourself out there to countless magazines/journals and you feel that the only reply you get is “Declined.” It is important to remember that not everyone has the same tongue, therefore, not everyone has the same tastes, and there will come a day when someone sees your work and recognizes it as a flavor they enjoy. Keep on submitting!

Q: What are you currently reading? OR What book(s) would you recommend to others right now?

I just finished a book titled The Art of Fielding, and I really enjoyed it. It is told from a third person perspective of four different characters, which I found to be a unique form of story-telling. A big component of the book is baseball, which is a sport I enjoy watching, so that was the big draw for me! It was recommended to me by a good friend of mine.

Q: What was the last movie or TV show you watched or recommend others see in the community?

A movie that always stands out to me as a solid recommendation is a movie called The Sound of Metal. The main character is a drummer in a heavy metal band, but he is losing his ability to hear. He also struggles with addiction. The way sound is used in the film is incredible, and it is a unique perspective into the world of those who are deaf.

Q: Which poets, artists, or writers inspire you?

Langston Hughes, Robert Frost, and Shel Silverstein (“Forgotten Language” is one of the most beautiful poems I have ever read”).

Q: If you were stuck on the moon with anyone or could pick your space flight partner who would it be ( it could be someone from the past or present time)?

I would take my husband with me to the moon. For one thing, I have pretty bad anxiety being in unfamiliar places, but my husband always makes me feel safe and like we can get through anything. He also thinks we don’t get a lot of ‘alone’ time together, so this would be the perfect opportunity for that!

Jaq Gallier - Star Sign HVG Remix

Q: What's one of your favorite poems in existence?'

“Forgotten Language” by Shel Silverstein. I teach it to my students every year.

Forgotten Language

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Once I spoke the language of the flowers,
Once I understood each word the caterpillar said,
Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings,
And shared a conversation with the housefly
in my bed.
Once I heard and answered all the questions
of the crickets,
And joined the crying of each falling dying
flake of snow,
Once I spoke the language of the flowers. . . .
How did it go?
How did it go?

~ Shel Silverstein

Source: (https://allpoetry.com/Forgotten-Language)

To Check Out More of Alyssa Troy’s Work

Circle back to some of her work mentioned above in this Q&A and head over to of course Amazon to follow her author page, you can search more online in the future as well! Definitely take a look at her book Transfiguration (2020) and upcoming publications!

ABOUT: The 2.0 edition only updates the author's last name now that she is married. The blades of your shoulders are strained from bearing the burdens and the weight of your worries to every distance you have traveled. But this pain is temporary, and soon it shall transfigure into the strength that will carry you to the next phase of your life. Transfiguration is a collection of poems that follows the course of self-discovery

[Interview Processed By VFORROW]

Note: We choose one song for fun to pair with each Substack submission similar to our website’s online tank or sometimes let writers recommend songs.

[Thank You Message From the Founder]:

Thank you so much, Alyssa, for sharing about yourself through dipity’s Substack community spotlight! Firstly, I’m a Capricorn and yeah I think astrological signs are quite interesting. I have some teachers in my family as well and it’s awesome that you share poetry and incorporate it into classroom lessons. I actually have not seen The Sound of Metal (2019) yet but should since I am a fan of the movie Whiplash (2014) and also loved the movie Mr. Holland's Opus (1995). I don’t read a whole lot of baseball-themed books myself, however, do see sports movies from time to time, Sandlot (1993) is an all-time fave movie of mine.

I definitely grew up being a Shel Silverstein fan too — especially loved the fun accompanying cartoon drawings. I think my fave of his is probably the “Peanut-Butter Sandwich” one — also a bit because I really love peanut butter (as many of you know from following the Hummingbird Blink: Nectar Poetry podcast). Congrats on your upcoming publications again, Alyssa, and we look forward to reading more of your work!

~ Jazz Marie Kaur (Vevna Forrow)

We truly strive to share as many amazing writers of all ages as possible from around the world and carefully take the time to review all submissions. Please note it is incredibly hard to decline any. P.S. We’re looking for more spoken word audio and video submissions. Remember we are also tackling chapbooks as well!

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