Editorial Copo de Nieve
Paulina Ríos, a national broadcaster, journalist, and voice actress, published her first book Garabatos de una nefelibata thanks to a contest organized by the Copo de Nieve publishing house. This work is a collection of personal poems that she began writing when she was 21 years old. “I wrote them when I was in love, and now, twelve years later, I revisit them with a different perspective,” she confesses. In this interview, Paulina reflects on those texts and the process they meant for her.
We met at the Crisol Barrancas de Belgrano café, where Paulina arrived around 3:30 PM. Upon entering, she greeted me warmly, and together we looked for a more comfortable spot inside the venue to chat. There, she began to tell me about her work: Garabatos de una nefelibata is divided into three parts —for you, for my grandmother, and for me— a way to gather and express all those universal emotions that, according to her, everyone feels at some point in their lives.
-How did Garabatos de una nefelibata come about? Was it conceived as a book from the start or was it a later compilation?
It was born less than two years ago, but it emerged as a collection of thoughts that I was writing when I was in love, heartbroken, or experiencing loss… During those moments —which occurred ten years ago— I was channeling my emotions and thoughts through writing. So, what is now Garabatos de una nefelibata collects all those texts in a poetic form, or —at least— in a more modern poetry. That's how it came to life.
-What does the term “nefelibata” mean to you and why did you choose it for the title of your work?
Nefelibata is a word that holds some personal significance. While in its strict definition it refers to someone who is unaware of reality, for me, it means something more. Although I recognize that I sometimes detach from the world, the word mainly reminds me of my childhood. My mother used to tell me that when I was very little: “You live in a world of pink.” I always associated it with a dreamer way of being, of walking with my head in the clouds. It comes more from that side: that of a person who dreams.
-Is there a story behind the texts with dates?
Actually, I wanted to date the moment I was feeling love, heartbreak, and loss, which are the emotions that permeate most of the poems with dates. I wanted to express how I felt at that moment, how it was affecting me.
-In many texts, “vibe,” energy, and spiritual connection are mentioned. Is there a philosophy or way of seeing that permeates you as a writer?
There is a saying by Gabriel García Márquez: “One is what one reads, consumes, sees, and eats.” I consumed a lot through living. There is also a writer from La Rioja whose writing I love, and she relates to this magical world, just like García Márquez or Borges. I was quite inspired by them, because ultimately everything is connected: love makes you see reality in a magical way, and for me, when I was in love, everything was like that. Everything had magic.
That's why I feel that theme —magic, vibe— is very present: when you experience love, you feel like you're on a cloud, that the world is painted pink, and that everyone is in a good mood. It's a positive energy, but I think it’s actually oneself who radiates it, because they find themselves in that state.
-How did you experience the process of writing about pain or loss? Was it a form of healing?
Exactly, it was a form of healing, a way to purge and channel that pain, turning it into poetry. For me, there is nothing more healing than transforming something: a lesson into something good, a loss into resilience. In my case, it is transforming pain into poetry.
-Natural elements constantly appear: the cloud, the wind, fire, water, earth. What does nature represent for you in your poetic universe?
As I mentioned a moment ago, when one is in love, they feel like they are in heaven, on a cloud, and that they are connected with all nature. Ultimately, nature represents you. In mythology, it represents everything. In love, a mix of emotions is experienced: water, for example, can symbolize that deep connection, whether you are in love, experiencing a loss, or heartbroken. All those emotions intertwine and can be transferred to elements of nature. Each stage of love and heartbreak can be poetically expressed through parallels with them.
-Your book has very sensory images: smells, textures, colors. Do you deliberately work on that synesthetic dimension or does it arise spontaneously?
It arose spontaneously, because what I was writing was, in fact, what I was feeling at that moment. I didn’t do it consciously, but I think aesthetically it turned out nice for the poems and the book. It was something that, at that moment, I recalled. In the last poem, for example, I talk about how smells can make you remember someone: a perfume, the aroma of coffee, the scent of a flower... they can remind you of a time or a person. My purpose is precisely that: to evoke an emotion or a sensation in the reader.
-How was it to share these texts with others for the first time? Was there fear, shyness, enthusiasm?
There was never fear. What I did feel, at first, was shyness —especially in front of my family— because some poems are about passion, making them much more intimate. But then I thought: “Look, in the end, not only will my family read it, but also other people.” And that's also a liberating way to release those emotions.
-Are you working on a new literary project? What would you like to explore in the future?
I would like to write a novel. I would also like to publish another book of poetry and explore the narrative genre. I feel like there could be something there.
You can purchase the book at: https://www.editorialcopodenieve.com.ar/poesia/garabatos-de-una-nefelibata-paulina-rios
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