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May 2026
HP Poet: Mateja
Age: 29
Country: Croatia
Question 1: We warmly welcome you to the HP Spotlight, Mateja. Please tell us about your background?
Mateja: "Hello, my name is Mateja, and I come from beautiful Croatia — specifically Opatija, the most gorgeous city in the world. I’ve been an artist since I was eight years old. I’ve always loved to draw, and over the years my skills kept improving. I truly believe that if you work hard, you will succeed.
When I was seventeen, I learned how to ride a horse. I love horses, and it’s still my dream to have one someday. (Even though my family promised me one… that never happened, so I guess I wasn’t the favorite one 😄). I would describe myself as a bit of a black sheep in the family. I love dogs. I had two, and I also love wearing black because it makes me feel confident and strong. But once people get to know me, they usually see that I’m actually very funny, a bit crazy, and easy to laugh with.
Currently, I’m living in Germany. I came here for work, and at one point I even went back to Croatia, but life had other plans...love brought me back. That’s how spontaneous I can be. Now I’m focused on myself and my future. For a long time, I was searching for myself and what I truly want to do in life.
Now I’ve found my path. I’m studying game art, and my goal is to become a professional game artist and create my own fantasy world game. I love games, especially fantasy ones. They inspire a lot of my creativity. For me, games are not just something you play for fun. I’ve been playing since I was seven, and games helped me get through different moments in my life. They mean much more to me than just entertainment. I enjoy creating characters and worlds with a bit of darkness and mystery.
I’m someone who thinks deeply and feels deeply, and I try to express that through my art. I like to understand people and emotions, not just create visuals. When I start something, I don’t give up easily. I’m always trying to improve and push myself further. I put my whole heart into everything I do. I’m a very passionate person, and when I care about something, I give it my full energy and dedication. I love with my whole heart. I’m kind and respectful to people who treat me the same way. And I believe that everything you give, comes back to you. For me, art is not just something I do — it’s who I am."
Question 2: How long have you been writing poetry, and for how long have you been a member of Hello Poetry?
Mateja: "I’ve always been creative, but I started writing poetry more seriously around August 2025. Since November 2025, I’ve been a member of Hello Poetry, where I share my work and grow as a writer."
Question 3: What inspires you? (In other words, how does poetry happen for you).
Mateja: "My inspiration actually started in an unusual way. Through writing, not reading. I’ve never really been a person who reads books, but I’ve always enjoyed creating stories. When I was around sixteen, I began writing small stories. I would write something simple, then go back and rewrite the same story with more detail. That became my way of learning. Understanding how to build sentences, add depth, and develop ideas. I did this for years, and it naturally shaped how I write today.
Now, I’m working on both poems and a book, so writing has become a big part of who I am. My very first poem was actually when I was about ten years old. It was a small, simple song about two apples falling in love. It may sound funny, but it ended up being included in a school book in Croatia. It wasn’t something big, but it meant a lot to me at the time.
When it comes to inspiration, it really depends on what I’m feeling. Sometimes it comes from darker emotions or past experiences. But a lot of my poetry was inspired by one person. Someone who had a strong emotional impact on me. She didn’t shape me, but she inspired many of the feelings I wrote about. For me, poetry happens when emotions become too strong to stay inside. Writing becomes the only way to release them, to understand them, and to move forward. Unfortunately, not every feeling gets to be spoken out loud, so I put it into words instead. And if the circumstances were different, I think I would write about her more deeply and more openly.
Lately, I can feel my poems changing. As that inspiration slowly fades, I find myself searching for it, in other moments, other emotions, other pieces of life. Because when the feeling disappears, the silence becomes louder. Words are not just something I write, they are something I need. And I never want to run out of them."
Question 4: What does poetry mean to you?
Mateja: "Poetry, for me, is more than just writing. It’s a way of understanding myself and the way I see the world. It’s where I put my thoughts when I can’t say them out loud, the emotions that feel too heavy to carry. It’s also a way for me to be direct, especially when I find it harder to express myself in person, even though I would prefer to. Sometimes, what’s inside my head is difficult to understand, and it’s not always easy to connect with people who don’t feel or think the same way. Writing helps me bridge that gap. Poetry is not always beautiful. Sometimes it’s dark, sometimes confusing, but it’s raw, and it’s real. It’s the place where I can truly open myself, where people can actually see me and begin to understand who I am."
Question 5: Who are your favorite poets?
Mateja: "I don’t really have a favorite poet. I just enjoy reading poetry, and it always depends on how the poem makes me feel. Sometimes I connect with it, sometimes I don’t, no matter who wrote it."
Question 6: What other interests do you have?
Mateja: "Art is a big part of my life. I’m constantly drawing and creating, always coming up with new ideas, sometimes faster than I can even keep up with them. I also enjoy playing games. Not just video games, but board games and cards too. I love playing in good company… but I should warn you, I can get a little competitive 😄. I love animals, especially dogs and horses. I’ve always loved horses and I’m still waiting for that childhood promise to come true.
Black is basically my personality at this point, it just makes everything easier. I’m a romantic person, so I enjoy making little surprises, it’s my way of keeping life interesting. I like going on trips, listening to good music, and creating small moments that actually feel meaningful. I think life should feel a bit like a story, not just a routine.
Oh, and I love food. I enjoy cooking a lot, but baking… baking and I are not friends. Something always goes wrong there 😄. And in general, I’m always trying to grow and become the best version of myself, even if sometimes that version is still a work in progress."
Carlo C. Gomez: “We would like to thank you Mateja, we really appreciate you giving us the opportunity to get to know the person behind the poet! It is our pleasure to include you in the Spotlight series!”
Thank you everyone here at HP for taking the time to read this. We hope you enjoyed coming to know Mateja better. We most certainly did. It is our wish that these spotlights are helping everyone to further discover and appreciate their fellow poets. – Carlo C. Gomez
We will post Spotlight #40 in June!