YVONNE BROWN
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Thank YOU for a fantastic NPM Celebration!

4/30/2013

34 Comments

 

I have an attitude of gratitude for you!

34 Comments

Today's Feature:  Lyrikal Storm

4/29/2013

49 Comments

 

National Poetry Month Celebration

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Lyrikal Storm is a performance based spoken word/poetry group headquartered in Riverdale Maryland.  Award winning teacher and Poet Neville Adams galvanizes students to serve as youth activists and champion humanity via the spoken word.  Lyrikal Storm started out with just ten students and in eleven years has blossomed into the largest and most prolific teen poetry group in the Washington Metropolitan area.   In 2011, the group was blessed to have Clint Smith, who ranks fifth in the world as a slam champion, coach and mentor students in slam poetry.

The primary objective of Lyrikal Storm is to hone poetry writing and spoken word skills through workshops, participation in poetry readings, and competition.  Five core principals guide Lyrikal Storm:  (1) Knowledge is essential.  (2) Community/global awareness and involvement is a civic duty. (3) Strive for sophistication, mediocrity is not an option. (4) Critical thinking and speaking is key to mobility.  (5) Once a member, always a member.  Currently, Lyrikal Storm is scheduled to perform at the Remembrance Foundation Harlem Renaissance Festival and compete in two slam festivals: Louder Than A Bomb DMV and Brave New Voices.

Press:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/31/AR2007013101088_2.html

http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/011008/hyatnew180601_32358.shtml

http://ww2.gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200452/laurel/news/251974-1.html

http://ltabdmv.tumblr.com/

Connect:

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LyrikalStorm

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/lyrikalstorm?fref=ts
49 Comments

Today's Feature: Maryam S. Alikhani

4/28/2013

48 Comments

 

National Poetry Month Celebration

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Bio:  Maryam Alikhani is a City College alumnus with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing for poetry and a doctoral student in English Education at Teachers College Columbia University. She is an English instructor, educator, translator, and poet. Maryam writes her poems in English, Persian and sometimes in Spanish. Her poetry has appeared in Esque Mag, Poetry in Performance, Promethean, the Poetry of Yoga as well as several periodicals in Tehran.   

The Moroccan Curtain

I follow the rainbow beams of
Sunlight through the crystals of
My Moroccan curtain
And rise like the last
Woman on the earth
The window is lonely


A robin sits on the sill
With a message from Emily
To open my society
I unwrap the present
“Sobh be kheir, Aziz.”
“Good morning, dear.”

The Interview

Where do you draw your inspiration from to write poetry?
From conversations, music, trees, and light. Basically the world I live in is always material for my poetry. What I see, what I hear, and the conversations I have with people, friends or strangers, inspire me to write. Often I hear a phrase or a line and I go from there.

What advice do you have for someone that is threatened by poetry?

Threatened? Yes, I hear that a lot. Since when has poetry become a threat? There was a time when literature meant poetry. People knew hundreds of lines of poetry by heart and recited them. Then they passed those poems chest to chest from generation to the next. In addition to the aesthetic pleasure of poetry as a form of art, poetry preserved history, genealogy, culture, etc.; it flourished language, and had pedagogical or educational values. It still does, of course. And I personally know some poetry cultures that people read and recite poetry fearlessly. 


However, poetry is not as much a form of writing in our routine academic and professional life. In other words, the fear of poetry mostly comes from not writing it. Therefore, I recommend those who are afraid of poetry to pick up a pen, or sit at their computers and write a poem. There are many techniques of poetry writing to learn from, but I emphasize on the content - not the structure. There are many poetry resources online that one can get help from and it does not matter how you write in the first place. 

Do not be concerned about writing good or bad poems. Just pick up a pen and a piece of paper and write. Everybody has a story, a feeling or a thought that wishes to share.  There are always people who you can share your poems with. Reach out for your inner sources and write with your own voice. What comes from the heart goes to the heart. Writing poetry makes us better readers of poetry, too. Once we experience how poetry is written, and how it works, we enjoy reading it more, and then we are no longer afraid of poetry.

What is an interesting fact about you? 
I can cross one eye and not the other. 

Where are you from / Where do you live?
I am from Tehran, and live in Manhattan.

Who is your favorite poet?
There are many, but if I should mention just one poet that would be definitely Forough Farokhzad.  In English poetry, my favorite is Emily Dickinson. 

Links to poetry:  
http://www.esquemag.org/2012/02/05/maryam-alikhani/
http://thepoetryofyoga.com/2012/08/the-child-inside/
www.poetrydivan.blogspot.com

48 Comments

Today's Feature:  Henry Mills

4/26/2013

41 Comments

 

National Poetry Month Celebration

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Bio:  Henry Mills is a poet and a musician. He has developed three multi-disciplinary performances: Helicopters and Vultures, a poetic exploration of his Salvadoran-Jewish heritage, Waterline, a homegoing for pre-Katrina New Orleans and Underwater Poems, a monument of sound erected in the wake of a friend’s suicide.

In 2007, while living at the Jiménez-Porter Writer’s House, Henry founded Terpoets, University Maryland’s student-led poetry organization where he hosted and performed alongside some of his favorite poets including Rachel McKibbens, Remi Kanazi and the Poemcees.

For the past six years Henry has worked with middle school students throughout the DC metro area helping them hone their voices, both on and off the page.

He has been featured at music and poetry festivals including Different Kind of Dude Fest (benefit for HIPS – a nonprofit helping individual prostitutes survive), Positive Youth Fest (a celebration of youth culture in the DC area benefit the DC Rape Crisis Center) and Split this Rock (a four day poetry festival where he performed with internationally acclaimed poet, Naomi Shihab Nye, for an audience of five and six year-olds.)

Henry considers his most notable performance to be opening for revolutionary Latin-American folk group, Los Guaraguao, on their debut tour of the U.S. where he performed his bilingual poetry in English and Spanish to packed crowds of guanaco/as.

Henry’s poems have appeared in, Stylus, Folio and Time You Let Us In.

The Interview

Where do you draw your inspiration from to write poetry?
For me the act of engaging with language is a way of reaffirming that life is worth living. In fact, in a world where I see no inherent meaning, writing is the practice of living. I picture a bottomless well. A void. Something about that void is what makes the universe lonely and beautiful. It is from that void that poetry springs forth.  But I want to do more than just peer down the well, I want to rebel. Discovering and at the same time inventing my own existence.  

When I transcend my life, I try to see it in the context of my family history. 
My mother was a refugee from El Salvador during the U.S. sponsored civil war. The blood from that side of the family has found its way to my heart despite the genocide of El Salvador's indigenous and centuries of brutal feudalism. My father is an atheist-Jewish-American philosopher who grew up fighting racist bullies in New York. His ancestors where eradicated in Poland during the holocaust.  Family is only one starting point for my poetry. The void can be seen in everything. Inspiration can come from anywhere.


What advice do you have for someone that is threatened by poetry?
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was during my end of the year, one on one conference with Michael Collier at the University of Maryland where I was just beginning my undergrad. I was bracing myself for some grandiose revelation that would blow my mind. Instead what he told me was essentially to read. Read voraciously. Find a library with a lush poetry section and start digging. Grab a book, flip it open. Find poets that speak to you and queue a stack of books. Not every poet will connect with you. Some of them you'll grow out of and some of them you'll grow into. What is important is to expose yourself to different traditions and digest the ways in which they use language. When you return to the page, your writing will be fortified by your exposure to these other styles. Your voice will begin to grow.

What is an interesting fact about you? 
I was a breech birth.  People at the hospital called me Baryshnikov.

Where are you from / Where do you live?
Currently I live in DC and work at Higher Achievement, a rigorous, year-round academic enrichment program for middle school scholars. Last summer I got to work with 5th graders and man! Their imagination is unbridled! We put together a show for the end of summer with live music and poetry. It ended in a mosh pit. Looked like a music video. No one was hurt. 

Who is your favorite poet?
It is hard to name just one! Can I quickly ramble about a few of my favorites?
Nick Flynn's book, Some Ether. This book haunts me. Sherry Fairchok's The Palace of Ashes. Anything by Li-Young Lee. Coleman Barks' translations of Rumi and Richard Siken's Crush. 

Shout Out!

Big thank you to Neville Adams from Lyrical Storm for nominating me. He was the first person I taught a poetry class with so it means a lot that he would think to nominate me as your feature. 

If I were to have my own personal nominee for poetry month I would nominate Zein el-Amine. His poetry speaks truth to power and manages to be beautiful and optimistic without losing your trust. Here is a website I designed for him: http://zeinelamine.wordpress.com/

I'd also like to shout out the Poemees, Bernard Dolan and the Solillaquists of Sound. Three artists who I consider to be at the frontier of innovating hip-hop music.

Send me a message for almost any reason!
aristides.mills@gmail.com or henrymills.wordpress.com

41 Comments

Today's Feature: Curtis Tyrone Jones

4/26/2013

50 Comments

 

National Poetry Month Celebration

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Bio: Curtis Tyrone Jones began writing and performing poetry as a creative way of expressing himself to the Marines and Sailors he lived and worked amongst while serving as a Navy Corpsman. Nine years later he has now returned to Naval Training as a Navy Chaplain in order to continue to influence service members with his creative message of God's love. He is the published author of The Yawning Sun, who speaks and pastors at college retreats, youth groups, and various conferences. He loves his life, family, and using his creative gifts to speak boldly and encourage others with God's unconditional love. Please feel free to download his free CD "Refuel" at http://www.cdbaby.com/m/cd/curtistyronejones2. 

The Interview

Where do you draw your inspiration from to write poetry? 
I draw my inspiration from reading existentialism, theology, fantasy novels, classic literature and listening to every piece of music I can get my hands on.

What advice do you have for someone that is threatened by poetry?
Sometimes the thing that most threatens us today can turn out to be very thing that brings us the most comfort tomorrow. Every culture will find a way to express it's experience artistically and poetically. The soul of anyone or any people is most understood and most misunderstood through its poets.


What is an interesting fact about you?  
I once ran the mile in 4minutes and 22 seconds.

Where are you from / Where do you live?  
I was born in Germany. I grew up in Springfield, VA. And I currently live in Studio City, CA.

Who is your favorite poet? 
Jay-Z, Eminem, Lil Wayne & Soren Kierkegaard.


Contact:
curtis@loveflowz.com   
www.loveflowz.com

50 Comments

Today's Feature: Clint Smith

4/25/2013

62 Comments

 

National Poetry Month Celebration

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Bio:  Clint Smith is a poet and educator from New Orleans, Louisiana and following the 2012 Individual World Poetry Slam, is the 5th ranked poet in the world. He is a 2010 graduate of Davidson College where he majored in English and founded FreeWord, Davidson’s first slam poetry team. Upon graduating from Davidson, Clint lived in Soweto, South Africa working to educate youth in the township on HIV/AIDS by engaging them in soccer and spoken word.  Currently teaching high school English in Prince George’s County, MD, he is the 2012 Graffiti DC Grand Slam Champion and is a member of the 2012 Beltway Poetry Team, representing DC at the National Poetry Slam. He has been featured on TVOne’s premier poetry and music show, Verses & Flow, and has served as a cultural ambassador to Swaziland on behalf of the U.S. State Department, conducting poetry workshops with youth throughout the country focused on HIV/AIDS prevention, cross-cultural understanding, and self-empowerment.

As someone who believes firmly in the role art can play in mobilizing communities and shaping policy, Clint has performed and spoken at events including the International AIDS Conference, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s ECET2 Conference, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies’ “Place Matters” Conference, the Teach For America Regional Institute, the African Leadership Academy, and the School for International Training.

Recently, Clint was named the 2013 Christine D. Sarbanes Teacher of the Year by the Maryland Humanities Council.  

Aside from poetry, Clint loves his mom, scrabble, and the feeling you have right after you eat way too many barbeque ribs.

His work can be found at cwardsmith.tumblr.com and he can be followed on Twitter @ClintSmithIII.

When We Catch Up to Him

My grandmother asked me,
Do you remember the way he used to laugh?
We stood and watched my grandfather,
an effigy of a life once dreamed of living.
 
When we were growing up,
my grandfather was as strong
as one hundred horse-bound chariots
and as calm as a mountain range at midnight. 

His voice was the Mississippi Delta after heavy rain.
 
So it kills me,
to watch the proudest man I have ever known
crumble at the shame
of being unable to say his own name.
Neurons disappearing faster
than Post-Katrina projects.
 
In the eye of this storm was my grandmother.

You have not seen love
until you have seen a woman
with the patience of an Artic spring
maintain a smile while she watches
the only man she has ever loved
revert into a state of infantile dependency.

Feeding a man who has forgotten
how to swallow his pride.
When he uses the bathroom
she holds his toilet paper in one hand,
her devotion in the other.
A fireball of a woman
in the form of a schoolteacher,
but there is nothing that can teach you 
how to hold something so flammable.

I watch the rest of her life held hostage
by his needs. His forest fire condition
renders him unable to do or say the things
that had made him that inferno of a man.

I dreamt of a world where my grandmother
could hand him the phone--
Grandpa, this is Clint
and he would know who that was.

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s.
It is death in slow motion,
a cerebral implosion.
It is watching someone die,
and not being able to do anything about it.

My grandmother,
sensing the helplessness in my heart
took hold of my hand.
Held it as the soil
does the first root of a young sapling.

Baby, coming and going are just the same thing
and only depends on where you’re standing.
Everything will be fine, 
His memory,
is just getting a head start to heaven,
simply waiting for the rest of us
to catch up.

The Interview

Where do you draw your inspiration from to write poetry?
I’m inspired by people, particularly those who live their lives in an effort to uplift others. I’m especially inspired by my students—their curiosity, their brilliance, and their unrelenting will to be more than this world expects them to be. In all honesty however, inspiration is everywhere, sometimes you just have to step back for a second and see what’s right in front of your face.

What advice do you have for someone that is threatened by poetry?
Poetry shouldn’t be something intimidating. Part of the beauty of the art form is how accessible it is regardless of who you are or what your background is. It provides a unique opportunity to tell the stories of those who are not given a voice. It can also give insight into our common humanity by contextualizing each of our lives relative to those around us. It’s a dynamic art form that challenges our perceptions and continuously allows us to think outside of ourselves. That’s what I love most about it --it is a medium that enhances our empathy.

What is an interesting fact about you? 
I hate chocolate and I love really competitive games of Taboo.

Where are you from / Where do you live?
I was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. Following Hurricane Katrina, during my senior year of high school, I moved to Houston, TX where I lived with my aunt and uncle until I finished school. I currently live in Washington DC and teach at Parkdale High School in Prince George’s County.

Who is your favorite poet?
Most of the time it’s my students. 

Contact: cwardsmith@gmail.com

62 Comments

Today's Feature: Gowri K.

4/23/2013

34 Comments

 

National Poetry Month Celebration

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Photographer Les Talusan 2013
Bio: Gowri K. is a Sri Lankan Tamil American poet and lawyer. Her advocacy has addressed animal welfare, the environment, and the rights of prisoners and the criminally accused. She has co-authored two peer-reviewed scientific journal articles and her poetry has been published in Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Bourgeon, and Lantern Review. Gowri was a member of the 2010 DC Southern Fried Slam team and has performed at Lincoln Center Out of Doors, the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. She hosts open mics at Busboys and Poets and BloomBars, where she serves as poetry coordinator. Gowri is a co-founder and communications consultant with Making It Slam and a poetry editor with Jaggery: A DesiLit Arts and Literature Journal. She tweets on-the-spot haiku @gowricurry.

Video Performance  

Poem (previously published in Bourgeon)--
http://bourgeononline.com/2010/07/poem-the-distance-from-here-to-there-by-gowri-koneswaran/ 

The Interview

What is an interesting fact about you? 
I represented the state of Connecticut in the national spelling bee when I was in eighth grade.  I still remember the word that I lost on... "introuvable."  

Where are you from / Where do you live? 

I was born and raised in Connecticut and have been calling DC home for the past 8 years. 

Who is your favorite poet? 

I don't have a favorite poet or poem but, in honor of all the great poetry that exists, I like to periodically memorize another poet's poem and share it at open mics. One of my recent favorites in that regard is "Family Jewels" by DC poet Essex Hemphill. 

Contact @gowricurry

34 Comments

Today's Feature: Drew Law

4/22/2013

47 Comments

 

National Poetry Month Celebration

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Bio:  Drew Law is a teaching artist for the American Poetry Museum and the nonprofit organization Split This Rock.  He is also a two time member of DC's National Poetry Slam team, the Beltway Slam  ('11, '12) and a member of the exclusive "Graffiti DC" poets. Drew was a 2011 NUSPA (National Underground Spoken Word Poetry Awards) nominee for “Best Performance: Male.” Drew Law has opened up for artists ranging from Slick Rick and Biz Markie to Sunni Patterson, and Andrea Gibson. He's a host of the prestigious Busboys and Poets and BBE's ground breaking Graffiti DC slam series. Drew is also the host of the TV show "Dope Wordz and Life," a show completely dedicated to spoken word and slam poetry being broadcasted on public access television in DC, Maryland and New York. He's featured all over the country including the "Green Mill," the birthplace of modern slam. Drew Law has a background in working with at risk youth. He holds a deep passion for his American and Palestinian roots. Drew approaches every performance like it’s his last.  He has a deep love for entertaining and serving his community.

Coalminer's Daughter

I Am the son of a coalminer's daughter 
You can tell by the iron ore in my lungs and my affinity for saving sparrows that have wandered a little too far from home

We were both born in a town that you've never heard of


For the first 3 years of my life all I knew was her

and David the gnome

She woke me up on time
Even though that usually meant we were late

She had love in her veins and use to cut her wrists onto my forehead
Told me redemption looked like a Johnny Cash mug shot
Promised me I would never wipe my tears, because when they drop, it reminds you that even pain

Falls away

She had a heart that pumped red blood & blue collars in the back woods where we get drunk off the sky when the moonshines the hardest cause you gotta live this ware-wolf life with a little bit of howl

Said

Son don't trace your footsteps, just paint your path free hand, because Lord knows you can't draw for shyt, and momma can't wait to see what abstract humanity you create for us

Momma

Those burdens you carried. 12 years old already addicted to the fire water. You grew up on the side of the holler that you just didn't get out of. But you found your renegade in a curly eyed man from a desert away

But when dad died

You lost your anchor, and was ship wrecked on a waterfall. Held us in your cabin until  that current beat you down so bad, you were nothing but drift wood for me and your baby daughter to float to shore with

We didn't have money but, God dammit we had love.

You beautiful Loretta Lynn love sonnet you.

And

When we buried you, I could find no gravedigger with neither the skill nor courage to bury something so beautifully flammable. So I commissioned a pic axe gardener to build a flowerbed sized mine that can survive without sunlight. But rise when the moon shines at its peak to wave at fireflies & Goliaths that have nobody to lean on

She was use to getting leaned on

Mom

You let me go. Right when I was strong enough to hold you. Guess you were tired of the night terrors at 4 in the afternoon and didn't want to ruin my sunsets. I miss you every day and I wish I could have you back. But there's something about letting go of loved ones, you get a free hand to hold on to the better things they wanted for you

I am the son of a coalminers daughter

You can tell by the soot on my ring finger

and my ability to bury things

Deep in dark places

Where there is only the silhouette

Of sparrows

The Interview

Where do you draw your inspiration from to write poetry? 
I pull a lot of inspiration from fiction as well as page poetry. Its really all about reading as much as possible to have a full grasp of what your potential is and getting out of your comfort zone. 

What advice do you have for someone that is threatened by poetry? 
Don't ever let applause affect you. People have this idea that good poetry is supposed to have great reactions. That's not always the case, the best poetry always hushes a room. And find a safe place that is comfortable to perform. It may be difficult, but its really worth it. 

What is an interesting fact about you?
I battle rapped for years and was actually pretty successful. I was even a part of a league called Grind Time and I have opened up for artists like Method Man, Biz Markie and Slick Rick. I really fell into poetry by chance and haven't looked back since.

What is an interesting fact about you?  
I was raised in the Maryland suburbs but my father is Palestinian so I really identify as a Palestinian (which may have been a much better interesting point).

Who is your favorite poet? 
Favorite poet of all time would be 2 time individual poetry champion Buddy Wakefield. He's been a huge inspiration.   

Upcoming Event: Graffiti DC Featuring Drew Law and the Graffiti DC poets  April 24th at Liv Nightclub 8pm

Connect: 
@DrewLawDMV
Graffitidc.tumblr.com
@GraffitiDC  

47 Comments

Today's Feature: SANJO JENDAYI

4/21/2013

35 Comments

 

National Poetry Month Celebration

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Bio:   Sanjo Jendayi born Deserie Johnson is a speaker, author and spoken word artist.  Readers and listeners alike are mesmerized, challenged and inspired by her unique way of speaking directly into their soul.  She merges her street edge with her spiritual grounding leaving everyone on the verge of change.  Her transparent style chips away at the proverbial elephants in the room. Deserie transitioned into her purposed name, Sanjo Jenday (African for “One who appreciates her past and gives thanks”) because it speaks to whom she has evolved into today.

Sanjo was born and raised in Washington, DC and she now resides in MD.  Her most important titles are Mom and Grandmom.  Sanjo has dedicated her life to inspiring women and young girls to rise above their circumstances, take responsibility and turn mistakes into lessons.  Sanjo began motivational speaking that touched on the very obstacles that she, herself overcame.  God has turned her mess into HIS message!

She is more than a conqueror!  A survivor of lung cancer while continuing to battle Sarcoidosis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Fibromyalgia.  Sanjo is passionate about tapping into the little girl within all women to reach that sheer innocent place where they once believed anything were possible and resurrecting that belief.

Sanjo’s perseverance is evident in her powerful personal testimony of trials and tribulations that’s translated through her poetry in Black Butterfly…Soaring on the Wings of Poetry and her debut of listen2myheartspeak spoken word CD.  A hospital scare birthed her most recent work, Girl, Get Empty a power-packed compact read empowering women to release all that God has placed in them.  Her process of emptying also included the subsequent release of NyAashia’s Freedom Ride a children’s bedtime story that teaches pride in their heritage and themselves. 

Currently, she is preparing a memoir for publication.  Sanjo has been the voice of several local radio and television commercials.  She also records professional outgoing voice messages for local corporations.



As long as you have breath, you have a chance!

Here I am Lord...

Here I am Lord…
Arms wide open
Ears wide open
Soul exposed
Receptive
Ready for instruction
Eyes closed
Mind still
Ready to do your will
Here I am Lord…
Asking to hear a word from you
I need to know what to do
Sometimes, I can’t hear anything from you
I find myself longing for you
Singing songs for you
Trying to usher your Spirit into my presence
To feel your very essence
To learn my every lesson
So I can move on…
Speak to my heart Lord!
I need to hear your voice
Your Word said ask and it is yours
So here I am Lord
I’m asking
For wisdom, knowledge and understanding
So I can move on…
I know your word doesn’t come back void
So I begin clearing my head of this noise
When ….silence consumes me
I feel you in tune with me
Yes I’m ready to receive
Here I AM Lord!!!!!!

© 2001 Deserie Johnson

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The Interview

Where do you draw your inspiration from to write poetry?
I draw inspiration from life experiences, the good, the bad and the ugly because there are lessons to be learned from everything. I like to write about it to release myself, it's freeing.

What advice do you have for someone that is threatened by poetry? 
Poetry is nothing more than self-expression, it's an extension of you. Some write it in a journal for their own private release and others share it with the world and either way is entirely up to the writer. If you are a listener and you are threatened by poetry, I say just close your eyes and let it take you on a journey through your emotions. Poetry can be very seductive in that it draws the listener in...even when they say, "I don't like poetry".

What is an interesting fact about you? 
I am shy. Believe it or not, I am as shy as they come. When I come off the stage, I am like a turtle climbing back in my shell.

Where are you from / Where do you live? 
I was born and raised in S.E. Washington, DC and I now reside in Maryland.

Who is your favorite poet?
Maya Angelou, I love how she weaves words together.

Shout Out to all of the Earth Angels who hold me up when I don't have the energy to stand.  Their wings give me flight!

Upcoming Event:  May 18, 2013 8pm-12 Sassie Ladies Night Out Reflextionz Xclusive Lounge 7818 Parstons Dr. District Heights, Md 20747.

Connect:  
www.deeprootzinspirtainment.com 
www.listen2myheartspeak.wordpress.com/

35 Comments

Today's Feature: Carlin Pierce

4/21/2013

46 Comments

 

National Poetry Month Celebration

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Bio:  Carlin Pierce, an aspiring professional inspirator, lives in the quaint town of Herndon, Virginia with her family and friends.  Painting, writing, and just crafting take up much of her time as does reading and school.  Time is a scarcity in her life, as she balances her many and diverse interests. 

Past:  Growing, writing, love
Making friends and memories
Laughing, crying, time

Present:  Learning, writing, live
School, persevering, helping
Smiling, frowning, time

Future:  Striking, trying, now
Writing and changing the world,
One poem at a time

Uncertainty is the foundation of inspiration, and hope is the cement of the future.  One of Carlin’s favorite sayings is:  “Live freely, love much, laugh often.”  And to add her own spark to that “Change what you can, make known what you can and never, ever give up.”

Hope

‘Twas light as a feather blown
Or a dandelion seed floating on a breeze
But as heavy as snow that falls
Like leaves falling from the top of autumnal trees
It feels divine and has a memory unknown
The invisible emotion like a lovely lift of love
Slides through the wall of criticism to reach your inner core
Takes its liberties with directions from above
A life not seen in years, but in light of what you become
A time not counted in numbers, but in the essence of what you do
A field of passing opportunities time means nothing, if you don’t use it
Many, many, lessons, please, please, take them with you

 


The interview

Where do you draw your inspiration from to write poetry? 
I literally get my inspiration from everything. I feel that the job of a poet is to take the commonly acknowledged "uninteresting" as well as the beautiful, special, and wonderful and turn it into something inspiring. Thus, I feel that everything from stop signs to history, to nature, to emotions, to ketchup, to a look from a stranger inspires me.


What advice do you have for someone that is threatened by poetry? 
Besides the generic "don't be?" I would tell them that poetry is a perspective of one person. It's nothing greater than verbalized impressions, something for a person to agree with, disagree with, and add to. It shouldn't be threatening, it should be inviting. Poetry allows for expression rather than oppression, so if someone could look at it as an escape rather than the threat, it is the most wonderful release. I wrote a poem about it actually: Poetry Poetry is the open window When the door is closed and locked Poetry is the paint brush That you use to color life Poetry is the building block On which to create a thought Poetry is inspiring Whether you know it or not.


What is an interesting fact about you?  
I am 17. I speak fluent french. I love to garden. I have a chicken. I adore making my own food--yogurt, bread, dinner, and of course growing my own vegetables. I love hats. My favorite place to read is up high.


Where are you from / Where do you live? 
I was born in Winston Salem, North Carolina on a farm, but moved to Herndon, Virginia when I was young. That is where I currently reside. As for where I'm from... Well, that's a bit more complicated. 


Who is your favorite poet? 
Life. Although sometimes she lacks verbalization. I also enjoy Robert Frost, Kwame Alexander, and Deanna Nikaido. 



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