Many people write poetry in their youth, but few decide to make it their life’s work, especially when they already have a lot of experience, a career, and a family behind them. Nadezhda Tsvetkova came to poetry after 20 years in the construction business and managed to attract the audience’s attention.

You were educated at MADI, went from being an engineer to the commercial director of an international construction company, and suddenly — poetry. How do you explain such a “quantum leap” to yourself?

The need for a drastic change of activity had been brewing in me for a long time. I come from a creative family, so I still would not have avoided the stage. The only unexpected thing for me was that poetry turned out to be my calling. Everything that preceded it—a career, a family—was a conscious fulfillment of the “obligatory program” expected of everyone. And I am grateful for this period of my life; it taught me a lot. But then the realization “it’s now or never” pushed me to take a risk and follow my heart’s calling—to take up poetry.

Is there room for rationalism in your creative life?

It has always been abundant in my life, prevalent not only in work but also in everyday life. Having immersed myself in poetry, I allowed myself to lower my level of control: I no longer remember everything for everyone else; I can miss something, I can’t get around to something. And I finally learned to say a firm “no.”

And, to my surprise, the world didn’t collapse. Poetry seemed to give me permission to relax, not completely, but just enough so as not to stifle myself. I realized that rationalism is only useful when it leaves room for freedom and creativity. And a technical education didn’t get in the way of this, but rather gave it a structure without which inspiration alone won’t get you far if you want to develop and move forward.

Who is your lyrical heroine: you yourself or someone abstract?

My poems include both personal and abstract stories, but not a single poem is about just one real person. My lyrical heroine sometimes even becomes a hero, and then I write from a male perspective.

For me, a lyrical character is always a collective image. I focus on real people, but I always imbue them with some striking character trait, superpower, or unusual appearance. As a result, reality and fiction intertwine so that the poems take on a life of their own.

To what extent do you open up to your readers?

I’m not afraid to open up and sincerely believe that creativity helps people and heals them. That’s why I share the events of my life not only in poetry but also on social media.

I have autobiographical poems about childhood, about my parents, about almost 27 years of marriage—with all its crises and compromises. In my poems, you can trace the development of situations and their consequences: not always beautiful and correct, but, going through them, you learn to appreciate loved ones and what you have, and this also requires experience.

Is poetry always a heartbreak? Can it be soft?

Perhaps in my work there is a whole spectrum – from humor and satire to deep pain. For me, poetry has become excellent psychotherapy, it helps me get through difficult periods. Depending on the state, it can be either a “razor to the throat” or a real “spa-relaxation”.

Surprisingly, satirical poems are born in periods when there is no time for laughter, but poems with heartbreak are not written immediately after an event – a pause for reflection is needed. So, the poem “I didn’t ask to be made stronger” is a cry from the heart; and “I had a dream” is already a relaxation for both me and the reader.

Which of your poems are the most popular with readers?

I have long considered the poem “Bird” to be my calling card. Also, “I’m very sorry, but you’re wrong” has spread across social networks and garnered millions of views and plays – both in my performance and in the performance of other reciters.

A completely new work, “Somehow I Met a Former Angel,” resonates with listeners, as does “Once Upon a Young Lady,” which always elicits a powerful reaction from the audience. I am sincerely pleased that my lines find a response in a variety of formats, from millions of views to lively whispers in the audience and even tears.

What else do you do besides creativity?

I am a co-founder of an international construction company, to which I devoted two decades, but now I have consciously transitioned to the role of a passive participant in order to devote myself to poetry. I am also a wife and mother of two adult sons, and I have a close relationship with my mother. I take great pleasure in caring for my family. Another integral part of my life is daily exercise: without training, after just a day or two I feel worse, and my head works more slowly.

Do you think about your creative future? How do you see your poetic maturity?

I constantly think about my future and am actively working on popularizing my work, and I am also looking for new forms of interaction with audiences: for example, I would like to turn my poems into a theatrical or musical production. I have many plans, but one thing is certain: in the future, I see myself as a performing poet. The mutual exchange of energy with the audience is the most powerful source of inspiration for me.

I imagine poetic maturity as the pleasure from the birth of sustained, profound poems. It is the ability to write poems that penetrate the very soul that, for me, is a sign of poetic maturity. I would also like to become a guide for young talented guys – not to teach them to write, but to help them find their path in poetry.