The Virtual Writing University Archive

The Virtual Writing University Archive is a collection of recordings of literary readings, panel discussions, and lectures around The University of Iowa and Iowa City. You may search or browse these recordings to find those you want to hear. The Writing University Archive is a project of the School of Library and Information Science in collaboration with the writing community at Iowa.

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Mirela Ramona Ciupag Interview

Rowena Torrevillas introduces the Romanian poet Mirela Ramona Ciupag and then Sandra Barkan interviews Ciupag. Liliana Cirstea from Moldova translates for Ciupag. Ciupag teaches philosophy, logic, ethics and psychology in Romania. She shares that she has enjoyed the opportunity to spend time writing in Iowa. Ciupag enjoys reading her own poems, especially when they surprise her. In writing, Ciupag says she is able to come outside of herself in order to come back to herself. There is a brief interruption during the interview while a commercial advertising the IWP plays. Ciupag talks about how she deals with the idea of ugliness in some of her poems and that is because she feels that everyone feels ugly at one time or another. Ciupag reads one of her poems, “The Yellow Apple,” in Romanian.

Play Audio (27 min.)

In: International Writing Program Archive

Authors: Ramona Ciupag

Date Recorded: January 01, 1999

Program: --

Format: interview

Contributors: Rowena Torrevillas; Sandra Barkan; Liliana Cirstea

Topics: Poetry; Romania; politics

Note: Month and Day are unknown.

Play Audio (27 min.)