Maria Giesbrecht is the author of the new poetry collection A Little Feral. She hosts the poetry community Gather. Born in Durango, Mexico, she lives near Toronto, Canada.
Q: Over how long a period did you write the poems in your new collection?
A: Oh gosh, I’m terrible with keeping track of these kinds of things, admittedly. The oldest poem is well over five years old, and the newest one made it into the manuscript a week before I handed it in to my editor.
Q: How was the book’s title--also the title of the first poem in the collection--chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: When I write, I often sit at my desk well into the afternoon before I change out of my pajamas, especially if I’m really in a flow-state. My partner used to come to my office and joke that I was being “a little feral.”
Then, one day, during a walk in our neighborhood, we saw a car with the bumper sticker “a little feral” and had a lovely giggle. I wrote a poem about it, and all the ways in which I sometimes live my life in a sort of messy, defiant way.
Being a little feral, to me, signifies being awake. To be awake is to be a little feral. Feral defined as “in a wild state, especially after escape from captivity.”
Q: How did you decide on the order in which the poems would appear in the book?
A: I spent a few days alone in an Airbnb in a cute little town near me. I brought over 150 of my poems, printed out, with me. I spent a few days exploring which themes were coming through and which story arc I wanted to tell.
Once I firmed up the sections, it was a big, tiring game of Tetris, seeing where each poem clicked into place. I really needed the alone time to listen to what the poems wanted to say.
Q: The Foreword review of the book says, “With a tongue-in-cheek tone, the book ponders the value of breaking the rules when settling on a personal identity...” What do you think of that description?
A: I love it. I believe living out a life that feels honest to you never comes without a cost. We must sacrifice something. For me, it was the comfort of a community that no longer supports us. I’m grateful that when I left the Mennonite community, I had the constant companion of words to guide me and hold me.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: This summer, I am working toward a first draft of a linked short story collection. My first story, “The Day of the Dog,” was a finalist in the 2026 Narrative Short Story contest, and I’m excited to build upon Chrissy’s world with more stories.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I will be touring North America in May, visiting Toronto, NYC, Minneapolis, Chicago, Seattle, Victoria, and Calgary. Tour dates can be found here. I love meeting folks in person, and would love to see you there!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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