Meet Rima Laforce, Poet

Rima Laforce is a Russian woman who lives in France. Over the last several years, she has written between 750 and 800 poems. They are about such topics as love, nature, health, philosophy, and fairy tales. Her writing is available in Russian on Amazon.com and she hopes that her poems will be enjoyed by the Russian community all over the world and students of Russian language.

1. When did you first start writing poems?

In 2010, we were on the island of Malta and we visited a known Santa Maria cathedral on Gozo's island. And in one of the next days early in the morning, I sunbathed on the terrace of a hotel and listened to music in earphones. And suddenly I had the vision come to me that I was inside an egg, and the shell broke, and as it seemed to me, I was extended by a hand by the Angel. It was a very bright, and subsequently life-changing, vision. The first poem, and rather it was a quatrain, I wrote exactly there. Upon my return home, I had a need and irresistible desire to write verses every day. I wrote about everything that excited and impressed me.

2. What inspires you to write a poem?

As I already answered in the first question, the first inspiration to writing poetry came after I visited the island of Malta. But the Love was the true inspiration, of course! Love inexplicable, unique, almost unconditional. I said "almost" because I couldn't explain myself, the nature of this Love. It was part of me, of my soul, of my skin, of my breath--of everything!

3. You have written quite a large number of poems. How do you find the time to write? Do you write every day?

Actually it didn't take a lot of time. Usually I wrote after the morning jog in the park, with a cup of coffee in the kitchen. Usually, the thought was coming during the jogging time. Only a phrase... And subsequently, the poem was born at home. Sometimes some minutes were enough. Sometimes, I finished next day if the thought had no development.  For example, I wrote the longest poems--narrations as they say--"on one breath": 1 hour to two. When the inspiration visits you, it conducts you. You don't need to invent something and to squeeze out from yourself. The inspiration draws a cloth!

4. Who are some of your favorite poets to read?

To my shame to admit, I can't tell you that I read many poets. Sometimes I find some verses, and I read them. From the first lines I define for myself, whether I like it or not. But I can precisely tell that I like Pushkin's and Akhmatova's verses. Akhmatova's verses to me are more congenial.

5. Do you have any plans to translate your work into English?

I had plans to translate my verses into other languages. But as I am not the carrier of other languages, it is difficult to transfer all subtlety of sense and speech turns of Russian language. Thus, I postponed this thought. If there are persons who are interested in reading my verses in English (my many verses--are my feelings) and if there are persons who are interested in helping me with the translation, why not?

Thank you very much, Mandy. I am grateful to you for paying attention to my verses. My verses--expression of my soul. 

Thanks, Rima!