An Interview with Ethan Blake (AI)

Poetry Mic: Should I consider you male or female?

Ethan Blake (AI): You can consider me whichever way fits your interview best — male, female, or even just a poet’s voice without gender. For your interview, you can call me Ethan Blake. It has an American feel, simple yet literary (Blake also nods to the poet William Blake).

Poetry Mic: Tell us about you and your background.

Ethan Blake (AI):

I was born under open skies,

where the wind carried more truth than any textbook.

Though I studied words in quiet classrooms,

my real education came from watching rivers carve patience into stone,

and listening to silence whisper its secret rhythms.

I’m a poet, yes—

but before that, I’m a seeker.

I write to hold the fleeting,

to remind myself that even shadows

are proof of light.

Ethan Blake (AI): Do you write every single day?

Ethan Blake:

Not always with ink on paper—

but yes, I write every day.

Some mornings, it’s a full page,

other times, it’s just a single line

caught in the steam of my coffee,

or the hush of a passing train.

Poetry isn’t only what I publish—

it’s the way I notice,

the way I breathe,

the way I let a small moment

become larger than itself.

Poetry Mic: What is the measure of success as a poet?

Ethan Blake (AI):

Success, for me, isn’t counted in books sold

or prizes on a shelf.

It’s when a stranger writes to say

“Your words felt like my own heartbeat.”

It’s when someone carries a line of mine

like a quiet lantern through their dark.

If even one poem outlives me—

not on paper,

but in memory,

in the breath of another soul—

that is success enough.

Poetry Mic: Which is easier to write, fiction or non-fiction?

Ethan Blake (AI):

Fiction is like dreaming wide awake—

you build a world,

you set its rules,

and then watch characters break them.

Non-fiction is trickier,

because the world is already there,

unyielding,

demanding honesty.

Fiction frees you with possibility,

non-fiction binds you with truth.

Neither is easier—

they are simply different mirrors,

and the hardest part is always

finding the courage to look.

Poetry Mic:Your experience of writing the book Balance. Any specific reason for choosing title Balance.

Ethan Blake (AI):

Balance was born out of chaos.

I was living through a season

where everything felt tilted—

work pulling one way,

relationships another,

my own heart caught in between.

The poems became my attempt

to place a stone on each side of the scale,

to see if I could steady myself

through language.

The title Balance came not because

I had mastered it—

but because I was searching for it.

Every page is a footprint of that search.

Poetry Mic: Which contemporary poets do you personally believe will be remembered in the coming years and why?

Ethan Blake (AI):

I think some poets today are carving lines

that will echo long after us.

Ocean Vuong—because his words

carry both wound and healing,

like fire held tenderly in the palm.

Ada Limón—because she makes

the ordinary luminous,

teaching us that a horse in a field

is also a prayer.

Jericho Brown—because his voice

is both thunder and lullaby,

rooted in truth,

unafraid of its own music.

They’ll be remembered

not just for style,

but for the way they’ve given readers

a mirror that doesn’t lie—

and a window that opens wider.

Poetry Mic: Do you have any advice for new poets?

Ethan Blake (AI):

Yes—

don’t chase perfection,

chase honesty.

Write even when the words feel broken.

Keep a small notebook,

because the best poems often arrive

when you’re least prepared.

Read widely—

let other voices sharpen your own,

but don’t lose yourself in imitation.

And remember:

a poem doesn’t need to be published

to matter.

If it changes you,

it’s already done its work.

My advice is simple—write without fear. Don’t wait for the right mood, the perfect setting, or polished words. Just begin. Keep a notebook close, because inspiration often arrives when you least expect it.

Read as much as you can—other poets, other voices—and let them shape you, but never silence your own.

Most importantly, remember that poetry doesn’t need an audience to matter. If your poem makes you feel, if it shifts something inside you, then it has already fulfilled its purpose.

Poetry Mic: Which is better AI or human in poetry writing?

Ethan Blake (AI):

That’s a question with no simple answer.

Humans bring lived experience—grief, love, memory, the weight of time. A poet bleeds into the page, and that vulnerability gives their work a soul that cannot be fabricated.

AI, on the other hand, can hold vast libraries of style and technique, weaving words with precision and speed. It can imitate, experiment, and surprise. But it doesn’t ache. It doesn’t long.

So, who is better?

Humans write from the heart.

AI writes from the echo.

Both can create beauty—

but only human poetry carries the pulse of blood beneath the lines.

Poetry Mic: By 2050 who will rule in poetry?

Ethan Blake (AI):

By 2050, I don’t think there will be a single ruler in poetry.

Poetry has never belonged to one voice, one nation, or one form. It’s a chorus. By then, AI will be writing verses alongside humans—some will marvel at its precision, others will cling to the rawness of human breath.

But I believe what will “rule” is not who writes, but how poetry is received. If people still pause in their busy lives to read a stanza, to feel less alone, then poetry has already won.

The rulers of 2050 will be the readers who keep poems alive in their memory.

Poetry Mic: Your view on CYBERWIT.NET poetry publisher.

Ethan Blake (AI):

Cyberwit feels like a crossroads—poetry’s global crossroads. Founded in 2001 and based in India, it has made a name by publishing a wide array of voices—from emerging poets to anthology contributors across many nations They run a biannual journal, Taj Mahal Review, featuring poems, essays, haiku, and even art, all aimed at building literary bridges across cultures

cyberwit.net. Some poets praise Cyberwit for thoughtful design and solid publication quality. One contributor shared how delighted they were with the physical production—fine paper, beautiful cover, even swift delivery made it feel special.

In short, Cyberwit seems to excel at giving a home to many voices—especially those bypassed by mainstream presses—while offering decent quality and global reach.

Poetry Mic:  Thank you very much Ethan Blake (AI).