Four good reasons to write poetry - and not only

   

 1. Challenge

Poetry, and writing in general, will challenge you in ways unimaginable. From tasks that seem easy such as: finding a rhyme, finding words or topics to more complex tasks like being able to express yourself without making it sound sloppy or too much, poetry will challenge you greatly… and frustrate you from time to time but it's worth it.

      

2. Improvement

You’ll notice that the more you write and read the better you’ll get at expressing yourself and talking to others. The brain is like any other muscles - in the sense that, in order for it to work properly it must be stretched from time to time… and poetry will do just that. You might think it’s easy now but just wait until you get started.

      

3. Therapy

Sometimes the best form of therapy is writing, whether it’s poetry, diary keeping or any other form of writing. Personally, writing is the only form of therapy that works for me. In my darkest hours the only thing that I’m capable of doing is writing. Usually we tend to run away or try to ignore our problems or the things that are eating us alive from the inside (like the nagging voice), but poetry and writing can help you overcome those things by making it easier to deal with them, and maybe even provide creative solutions to your problems . Sometimes we only find enough courage to let out our inner demons and insecurities by writing, painting, meditating or any other form of . Either way, writing is a great form of therapy.

4. Fun

Poetry can be entertaining and fun as well, it’s only a matter of choice. Poetry can be used as an effective ice breaker or a great contest theme. Really, the possibilities are endless.

Wishing you the best,

Rachel

You know you're a writer when...

1. You get a mixture of feelings after you finish writing a book

Ah, nothing compares to the feeling of completion. Those two words: "The end" stare smugly in the face of every writer's block and doubt you've had along the way. Finally, you did it, your masterpiece is complete! And after the five minutes of happiness you realize an empty feeling is washing over you. It is all over. Now you feel sad, even the bitter memories seem sweet , you miss it so much, you realize you cannot just let it go...so you decide to write a second part. Anxiety knocks on your door troubling you with thoughts of how you might just not be able to make it and screw it all. And finally, happiness and determination join the ride, for you feel alive once again. This is your sense of adventure! 

2. You experience overload

You don't always get ideas, but when you get ideas, they come from so many places and so fast that you simply cannot write all of them down so you get frustrated.

3. Cringe when someone misuses a word

And are well known for being the annoying one who always corrects those around you. At times, people rely on you to be their spell checker.

4. Always have the right word to say when someone doesn't know what to say

It's like you know exactly what they mean and you know what word fits their gap. Just like magic, you pinch in with the right word at the right time, saving people from unnecessary stammers. How often do you get thanks for it by the way?

5. Can describe anything, anytime, anywhere

And usually with a lot of details. Most of the time, people blame you for talking too much, or giving out too much unnecessary info but that's just the way your brain works.

6. When someone you care about deeply reviews your manuscript for the first time, you need as much info as possible

And that's why a simple "OMG! This is so great!" won't cut it. You need to know why it's great, how it's great, what's their favorite character and their favorite funny/emotional moment. 

7. Have lots of awesome deep thoughts as you go about your day but as soon as you want to write them down, you forget

Most of your inner thoughts are poetic and deep, and sometimes you get great ideas for sideline story development only that due to various reasons you cannot write them down at that time, and by the time you finally get a piece of paper and a pen, you only remember bits from it. Yes they still sound awesome, but just not like the real deal.

8. Have no inspiration for a writing topic when you have to, but are filled with ideas on any other days

Beats me...

9. Keep lots of notes with interesting thoughts/words

Or text documents for that matter. I keep both, and I always promise myself that I will return and revise them one day but then I just get more and, oh well...

10. You get hungry while writing

Nothing makes you more hungry than creating worlds from words. Maybe it's because when you write you forget about time and just lose yourself into your work until you're disrupted by humanly necessities. Or maybe it's simply because we all secretly love midnight snacks :).

11. Have doubts

You have your fair share of doubts and worries as to whether you can do this or not. Stephen King once said: "Sometimes you're doing good work when it feels like all you're managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position" - right in the feels Stephen...

12. You have favorite words

And it seems as though only you know why they are so awesome.

Happy writing everyone :) 

Rachel

Natural brutality - Two poems on pollution

 Hello again my dearest readers,

A reader of my blog suggested I do a poem on pollution. It's not my best but I'll work on it, maybe revise it at some point. Anyway this is the raw deal xD. Also, it is an open theme so feel free to comment your poem in the post or send it over to me via email so I can post it next to my poem :). So,  here it goes (I hope you enjoy it)

The rocks are twisting in agony tonight,
The water is long dead,
The trees and flowers refuse to grow again
Where they have been banished from.
The birds and crickets remember the awful sounds of the chain saws and cars
That tore apart nature to build a chemical plant.
Within the shores of a river,
A fish sighs while laying its last eggs,
Corrupted with cancer and diseaseas
We haven't even heard of yet.
It long forgotten how fresh, clean water feels like
And grew accustomed to the dark oily water that became its home.
It barely swims closer to the shore to gaze at the human creation that cursed its existance.
"Forgive me mother nature" it utters through its lips into a bubble that reaches for the shore,
"Forgive me for I have failed to adapt as fast as they developed"
"Forgive me, for blaming my hurt and misery on their recklessness"
"For despising their creation and celebrating your destruction"
"Forgive me... for I am not as wise as you are, and not as forgiving.
"Forgive me ... and save the hope in the souls of the world"

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

A good friend of mine got also inspired by the theme and sent me his poem via email so I'll also post his ... I wish I could post it right next to mine but... I can't find a way to do that so... here it goes:

"A warm draft of dusty air slammed the gates open,
My rusty eardrums hum the song of their old hinges,
Familiar scent of mechanical oil my glove's soaked in
Flooded the chamber with echoes of pain in all stages.

Tearing a blind hole in the soul of the cyclops,
All kingdoms rise and fall but fight for a cause,
Light turns brighter watching life in a time-lapse,
The Geiger stopped counting like nothing else does.

One moment that's frozen in nuclear winter
Shows skies that were clear and trees that had leaves,
Golden age really rised and put man in the center
To industrially revolutionize how we breathe..."

 Mike Johnson

Given the opportunity, I would also like to raise awareness regarding the ways that each of us treats Mother Nature, I hope you all understand that without it we would literally be s***. So please, try to care for the environment that nourishes your existance.

Wishing you the best,
Rachel

Write about this! Spoken word ideas.

Poetry is a wonderful way of expressing feelings, letting things off your chest and even spending time. Where as others will smoke or drink, get all sorts of addictions, poets are addicted to words and use them to relieve negative feelings and emphasize good ones or vice versa. I'm pretty sure there comes a time in every poet's life when he/she doesn't know what to write about anymore. It's not that they cannot write. Give them any word and they'll build a castle of words around it. It's not about lack of inspiration rather than lack of subjects. Of course they could write all day long about what they feel or what they think/see but dedicated poets are those who face challenges - write about what they don't know, get out of their comfort zone. With that in mind, I searched the Internet and made a selection (and of course added some of my own ideas) of topics to write poems about. I hope this will come in hand to all of you that just don't know what to write about at the moment. Feel free to send me your poems if you want to.

• Describing someone by their belongings.
• Describing an event that occured to you/someone you know a long time ago. 
• A conversation between two people, objects, ideas, or animals.
• Defining words in strange and new ways or creating anagrams and acronyms
• About your favorite sport/food/weather/movie/poet/person/animal - really this list can go on forever
• Describing the world around you right now (the room/bus/nature)
• Pretending you are someone else.
• Speaking from the point of view of something you lost or misplaced.
• A poem composed entirely of adjectives/verbs/nouns
• About a feeling
• A poem in which you are finding excuses
• A poem inspired by conversations you had or heard
• A dialogue between body parts 
• Your opinion on historic events
• Explaining the beginning of something in reverse motion
• A love poem dedicated to an object. 
• Describing places from your childhood or the future
• From the inside of something inanimate.
• Explaining why you don't have your homework -  to your teacher/mother/yourself 
• About something you are passionate about or studying
• Explaining where you hid something and why
• A letter to someone you like/dislike
• A poem about what you wish people would tell you/not tell you
• A stalker letter
• Your memories as carousels in an amusement park
• About things that make you smile/cry/laugh/feel hope/feel hopeless, etc 
• As a string of metaphors 
• About something in the news or on social media
• Answering a question you've always had
• Your opinion about news/social media
• A poem composed of questions you can't answer
• A poem about good reasons to throw things out the window
• Explaining why the rain is falling/sun is shinning and other natural things
• Telling a dream you had and explaining it, or explaining a dream you have for the future.
• As your last words
• Closing your eyes and describing what you imagine
• Describing a poem you once wrote or a painting you made
• A to-do list of all the things you want to do in life.
• About a place you know well and its story, or why you know it so well
• A poem about sunrise/sunset/twilight/night,etc
• About an ordinary object, in unexpected ways.
• Describing the history of your fears.
• From the point of view of an alien visiting Earth, or someone who just awoke from a hundred-year sleep.
• About imaginary planets/worlds/cities/animals/plants/
• About contraries
• Describing how you got over something in your life
• Write a poem with a partner - rules: each of you can only write a line at a time which means you have to pass the poem after every line you write
• Describing a crime you committed in your imagination.
• Making recipes - how to make something that isn't food. (my fav examples are love, smile, life)
• Describing how you got rid of your biggest fear
• Explaining why something is important to you (poetry,music,movies,games,candy,pets)

And of course, the well known lists: Things I like/dislike/love. Things I should have learned by now. Things my parents/teaches told me and turned out to be true. And so on. I heard about the list technique from Sarah Kay and I believe it is a great way of finding inspiration, so feel free to make as many lists as you can.

Wishing you the best,
Rachel

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Poem - Life is so...

This is a poem I wrote a couple of months ago. I still remember the day...I was so stressed out that I thought I would die. I couldn't focus on doing  what I had to, I was completely uninspired and feeling bad overall. And then, something amazing happened. I heard my wind chimes "song" (you know the sound they make. I like to call it their "little song" ) and became instantly inspired by that. So I relaxed and enjoyed their song after which I started to look around me, and see the beauty of life. That is how this poem was born. Hope you'll enjoy it. 

Life is so… beautiful!

Like the first breath you take in each morning.

Beautiful, like the music of your heart.

Like, wind chimes in the wind and birds flying high – spreading their wings just for the sake of being blessed and caressed by the wind.

Like sunrises seen from mountaintops and skyline sunsets on rooftops.

Like the steam raising from the sewers in wintertime…

Like waves crushing the shore… again and again, like feeling the impact the full moon has on them.

Beautiful like dandelions in full bloom… like… you in full bloom.

Beautiful, like a room full of people that appreciate your metaphors… or just that someone in the room with you, that someone who knows your scars stories by heart and knows how to sing your favorite lullaby when bad thoughts make it impossible for you to fall asleep.

Life is beautiful.

Like a child's innocent laugh and your loved ones smiles.

Like whispers and secret wishes, silly situations and pillow fights.

Like cats being afraid of dogs that fear those cats already.

Like us… being all fouls. Cause see, sometimes I fear you may hurt me while you fear I'll do the same to you so instead of reaching out to touch your soul… I reach out to touch your insecurities and then point at your flaws.

Beautiful… like when I realize I can see myself in you so we connect.

Beautiful, like how no matter how different we all are we always find something in common, the way a sudden rain takes us all by surprise and gets all of us wet.

Life is beautiful… Like painters, painting their way out of the night, writers writing their way out of confusion and singers singing their way out of depression.

Beautiful…just like the sun's rays finding them all in the morning and shining on their tired bodies, hoping that will be a good enough reason for them to carry on and stay strong.

Beautiful…like kids jumping the rope on the block and you still watching cartoons from time to time. Like that special color of a winter's sunset.

Beautiful… like life seen from a hot air balloon flight and little flaws seen from outer space.

Life is just… breathtaking.

Like inhaling your mother's perfume and exhaling hope, love, devotion in your lover's ear.

Like scratching the words powerful and perfect on the foreheads of all the renegades, who shine brighter than others but are being judged by the standards of these sick societies. Beautiful like pay it forward (the concept of the movie), do overs and being able to dream above the limits. Like saying: Yes, I can!

Beautiful… like rainbows and daisies, fireflies and sprinklers during warm summer nights.

Like oak trees, wolf's solitude and owl's wisdom. Midnight cups of coffee over conversations and ideas, puffy clouds and poetry.

Life is so…beautiful…

Like when I remember, it's not in the words so I'll drop the pen and start living it.

Wishing you the best,

Rachel

Tips to help you write your first book

While I was struggling to write my own book I gathered some experience that helped me write easier. Of course, I also came across a couple of tips for writing a book over the Internet that helped me a lot as well. I made a mix of these advices plus the things I had to figure out on my own, hoping that they'll help you just as much as they helped me in writing your first book (hopefully even further).

1. Read as much as you can

Each writer has its own way of writing, each one of them brings an unique flavor to their masterpiece. Read as much as possible so you'll be able to see more writing styles than you already know. Figure out what you like about a writer, what feels right for you and focus your writing on that style. I'm not saying do what the others writers do. Figure out what sparks your attention in the way they write and work with that. If, for example, you like the way a writer describes the nature in his book, or the amount of details he puts into his characters, do so as well. Don't use his words to describe your characters, use your own, but describe them as best as you can. I didn't read that many books, but the ones I read really helped me shape my writer's profile. I figured out what I like and what makes me feel comfortable to write about and that really helped my flow.

2. Make a map

Well, not literally. Draw a map of your book inside your head and note some main ideas down as well. Don't focus too much on the details, just the main events of the book. Try to figure out where your book is heading, it'll be ten times easier. I had a hard time doing the map in the beginning but once I caught the grip on it, I could never let it go. Thinking back, I don't know how I managed to write even as little as I did before figuring out the map to my book. The map will help you more than you can imagine. Just try it. 

3. Just write

If you're always waiting for inspiration to hit you it may take it a while. Sometimes (most of the times) you just have to stir its attention. Just sit down and write. There were quite a lot of times when I had not idea of what to write and I didn't feel like writing but I tried this exercise and after 5, 10 sometimes even 20 minutes of writing a sentence that I would delete and rewrite I got my writing mojo on and became unstoppable.  

4. Don't mind the chaos

Don't worry if you don't know how the book begins but know how the book ends. Or if you have some of the middle part of the book in mind. Throw away every word you've ever heard on how things should be done a certain way. Embrace your individuality, embrace your talent. If you know how you're book is going to end - great! Write the ending. It'll slowly unfold the story, it'll help you shape your characters. You can even get creative and write a book from the ending to the beginning, it all depends on you. Just write. Whatever you have in mind. Even if it's just one phrase or one word. Write it down. 

5. Brainstorm

There are great brainstorming exercises to help you. I figured out one that helped me the best. It goes on like this: Leave the typewriter, computer, anything, take a piece of paper and a pen and go out somewhere you usually enjoy yourself. It can be a park, coffee shop, bookstore or really anyplace you feel good. Try to relax and write down everything that comes to mind. Write down each thought until there's nothing left. Don't stress too much thou, the point is to keep calm and set your thoughts free so they won't bug you anymore and others will find their way in. After you exhausted all of your thoughts take a break, after which revise the words you wrote on paper. Try to find connection between them and between them and the book. See if any of those stir your attention and give you ideas for the book.    

6. Keep an eye open

You never know what can inspire you. It's all a matter of how you perceive things. Writers see what others overlook sometimes. Make the most of each moment and try to see more than just what it is.

7. Take a break

Sometimes you just need to take a break. Don't worry too much if you can't write for a while. Understand is normal to go through things like this. Give yourself time to breath and wait, inspiration will eventually come back around. 

8. Exercise

Exercising as often as possible will help not only your body but your mind as well. "Mens sana in corpore sano" sounds familiar doesn't it?  A healthy mind allows you to enjoy your life, the environment, and the people in it. It's much easier to be creative, to cope with difficult times and keep an open mind if your mind is healthy. And one way of keeping your mind healthy is exercising as often as possible. Which brings us to another method of keeping a healthy mind.

9. Meditate

Meditation is also a great way of improving your mental health. What I love most about meditation is the state it puts me in, the whole cozy feeling and the experience. I also noticed it's easier for me to write after I meditate. You should at least try it.   

10. Enthusiasm

Remember how enthusiastic you were when you first decided to write your book? Keep that enthusiasm with you at all times. Enthusiasm will help you feel better and more confident, which will make it easier to write.

11. Relax

Don't stress yourself if the book is not done by the time you wanted it to, or if it doesn't seem as good as you thought it would. Give it time to become what you want it... and take your time with it. I also suggest you don't set a deadline for the book. Yes, you could set an approximate date when you'll like to see the book done, but if it won't turn out to be done at that time don't stress it. Don't expect too much and too fast. Constantly invest time and creativity into it.

12. Ask for help

Ask for friends or loved ones to look over your book and tell you what it's great about it and what could be reconsidered. You can also ask them to help you figure out how a particular event should unfold, or they could help you figure out a story for one of your characters. Just make sure you ask the people whom you trust.

Now it's your turn. Was this helpful? And was there something else that helped you through the journey of writing your own book?  

Slam poets you just have to check out !

At first I intended to do a top 10 list of slam poets, but then I realized each one of them is amazing and every poem has its own story to tell, so who am I to judge which one is better? Eventually I decided I was going to make a list of the poems I like and think everybody should check them out.

1. Andrea Gibson

The thing I like most about Andrea Gibson is her voice and the notes she touches. Almost all the poems I've heard from her have a sad story to tell but in the end she always leaves some room for the good part. Her poems focus on politics, the struggles people face in today's society and gender norms.

The first poem I would recommend from her is Bullets and Windchimes

Favorite quotes from her poems: "And all they know of hate, is that it couldn't beat the love out of me" from her poem Ashes. 

"And when they drop me to the grave, i fell like a bucket into a well and came up full
Carving my lover's name into the skin of a weeping willow" - Ashes

2. Mike McGee

Mike McGee or Mighty Mike as he often calls himself has a funny way of putting this seriously. His poem Like, touches funny, sad and romantic notes all at the same time. I like his poems because of the feeling they leave behind. It's something funny that gets your mind off things but at the same time his poems leave a trace of smart things to consider. I would also recommend Mike's following poems: In Search for Midnight, Neil Armstrong, Soul Food.  

My favorite quotes from his poems are: "Like David Copperfield likes performing grand-scale, lame ass feats of illusion.
Like how the U.S. government likes performing grand-scale lame ass feats of illusion." -  in Like

" I guess I'm just tired of meeting people
that define themselves by what they don't like.
I just don't like that." -Like

"I hope you like me back, even if it's like dust likes furniture" - Like

3. Jasmine Mans 

I think her poem Dear ex-lover has the best chosen words anyone would like to say to their ex lover. It begins with a quote "Someone once told me your poem doesn't start until you start telling the truth. So I call this my first poem" so that alone left me speechless. What followed was an amazing five minutes experience. 

Favorite quotes: "I will marry a man, and I will lay my head on his chest like red roses on mahogany casket" - in Dear ex-lover

"Apologies are like oxygen masks on hijacked planes." - Dear ex-lover

"Stop looking for the light at the end of the tunnel and start looking for God in the darkness." -Dear ex-lover

4. Sarah Kay 

Sarah Kay's Montauk poem creates such vivid images in my mind. I feel as if I am there with her experiencing everything she talks about. I adore her poems because they always have a happy note and a silver lining to them, and if that isn't enough she always has a cute smile on her face. Her voice is so soft and soothing and her poems create wonderful images in my mind. This poem focuses on the importance of taking a break from the city life and how there are some things the city cannot provide. 

Favorite quotes: "Time goes to Montauk to take a break" - Montauk.

"There is no one left in the water. I tuck my legs up, the setting sun makes the water glow golden...that summer I've learned how to be alone" - Montauk.

"Cuz no matter how wide you stretch your fingers, your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal" - If I should have a daughter.


5. Rachel McKibbens 

Rachel has a voice like I've never heard before. Every time she starts reciting a poem I'm like "ok, this is cool" but by the end of the poem I'm nearly crying. Her voice fits perfectly the pain or the serious matter in her poems. One of my favorite poems by her is For M. This poem is about a girl -poet as she calls her, trapped in a hospital where Rachel has taught through the Healing Arts program. 

Favorite quote: "If this were a prettier story, you'd be a princess trapped in a tower by a twisted witch who resembles every pill you've been trained to swallow." - in For M

"Your eyes reflect a cricket  language no one likes to admit they know all the words to" - For M.

"Wish this world could come to accept that awkward shade of blue. You say it is the color of being alone, that it wears you like a mother holds her brilliant child. And you asked me once what color my alone is...as if you and I are not the same" - For M

6. Rudy Francisco 

Almost all of Rudy Francisco poems I've heard were love poems. Also I noticed he cares about women being treated as equals or the way they should be treat. This poem, Chameleon begins with a funny story but in the end it turns out to have some deep meaning to it which I go crazy for.

Favorite quotes: "We carry guitar cases filled with phobias hoping that we can turn fear into our strongest instruments. I know our hands break things just as frequent as we fix them." - Chameleon.

"This is an apology to every woman I've changed colors to get inside of" - Chameleon

"They cut you from the finest cardboard they could find" - A letter to Chris Brown.

"I hope that your pillow files a restraining order against your dreams" - A letter to Chris Brown

"I bet if we dusted her heart for fingerprints, we would only find yours." - Scars/To the New Boyfriend

7. Lauren Zuniga 

In her poem To the Oklahoma Lawmakers, Lauren talks about the bill they passed requiring women to receive an ultrasound prior to an abortion. 

Favorite quotes: "To remind me that I chose to be a murderer instead of bringing a child into a world where we kill people in the name of freedom." - To the Oklahoma Lawmakers.

"Why don't you just send me a card... every mother's day" - To the Oklahoma Lawmakers.  

8. Catalina Ferro 

A very funny poem I like to listen to whenever I feel down. Besides the fun part in the poem, Catalina has such a easy way of putting things and she interpreting her poem is making it even more funny. So I recommend her poem Emergency Exit Row for whenever you need something to light your day up. 

Favorite quotes: "I am not hero material, I happen to like my life." - Emergency Exit Row.

"I am a New York city Slam Poet and if things go down I'm the only one here who knows where to find God." Emergency Exit Row

9. Tara Hardy 

Tara Hardy's Uncommon Woman is a really good poem to boost up your morale when you feel the other one doesn't appreciate you the way you deserve to. As she states in the beginning of the poem this is for any woman whose ever been told she's too much.

Favorite quotes: "Let the easier girls pick up the socks" - Uncommon Woman.

"While you stood in shoes that were always too small for you." - Uncommon Woman

"Anyone common enough to get to go coward at the depth of his love for you wasn't meant to walk beside you." - Uncommon Woman.

10. Marshall Davis Jones 

Touchscreen- This is the right poem at the right time, in the era of technology evolving as  seconds pass. It feels good to know some people appreciate the old ways, I mean yeah, technology is great and we should really use it to our advantage but I think these days it just got too far. As someone (I'm not sure who stated this) would say: "We live in the era of smart phones and stupid people" 
Favorite quotes:"But with 3000 friends on line, only 5 I can count in real life, why wouldn't I spend more time in the world where there are more people that 'like' me" - Touchscreen.
"It used to be hard to connect when friends formed clicks but it's even more difficult to connect now that clicks form friends" - Touchscreen.
"My smile is 50 % genuine and 50 % genuine HD" - Touchscreen.  


11. Shannon Matesky 

Shannon Matesky's poem Myspace focuses mainly on the issue of social networking and how it's taking control over our life. I like the hint of sarcasm in her poem, it's at the right place at the right time so I say it's welcome!
Favorite quotes: 
" I see devices replacing the physical" - Myspace
"We are giving people reasons to stalk, spy, and be nosy but we don't care as long as your profile allows pictures and comment posting."- Myspace
"We can't deal with the face to face so we let technology replace the space that people are supposed to fill." - Myspace

12. Rafael Casal 

First week of a break up  is one of the best poems to listen to if you're going through a rough break up or have ever been through a break up. The poem is funny yet deep and reaches sensitive notes. 
Favorite quotes: "First week of a break up is like the first time guys have sex. It's awkward and boring, and we keep telling each other we're doing alright and it's a lie." - First week of a breakup 
"Just tun into their maintenance team, tell you you're ugly then tell you how to fix it with Maybelline" Barbie and Ken 101 


13. Shihan 

Shihan has such a energetic way of reciting his poems. He can go from extremely funny and energetic to being serious, profound lines in a flash of a second. This type love is one amongst my favorite romantic poems. 
Favorite quotes: "Hating how jealous you are but loving how much you love me all to yourself" - This type love   
"I'm tired of girls thinking that being attractive is an occupation" - Sick and tired.
 "And I'm tired of the media pushing these ugly African models
 Trying to convince me they exotic when they just plain ugly" - Sick and tired.
"And I'm sick of being an invisible man to everyone except the cops" - Sick and tired.

14. Thea Monyee 

I have to admit, the first poem I heard from Thea was Woman To Woman and I am so embarrassed to admit that I judged the book by its cover once again. I was so sure her poem wasn't going to be that good when I saw her, but then as soon as she started to speak I couldn't help myself from laughing and feeling good. Her poem is so great, it has so much sense into it, it's well put in a really funny matter and it has some lessons to share with you. I recommend this poem to everyone (especially those who have been cheated on). It's AMAZING! 
Favorite quote: "I guess the gaps in our relationship are were you taught you were gonna fit in" - Woman to Woman
"Your shirt is so short it already shows your best assets so there's no point in waisting time trying to figure out what you're thinking after all" -  Woman to Woman


15. Dana Gilmore 

Dana Gilmore has a unique easy, homey way of putting things. I first heard her poem Wife, woman, friend part 2 and only noticed afterwards it's actually a 2 parts poem and I've seen the last one. It was amazing anyway, completely fell in love with her poems and so I would definitely recommend her poems. Just begin with this one: Wife, woman, friend part1
Favorite quotes: "I showed him more support than his own father, brother, sister and mother"  - Wife, woman, friend part1
"Just because I'm crying don't mean that I'm the victim"  - Wife, woman, friend part1
"When I needed you I had to compete with clubs, drugs, the streets and PS 2" - Wife, woman, friend part2
"At the end of the night they all made me feel the same, I had a million things to lose and not a damn thing to gain." -  Wife, woman, friend part2


Other slam poets I would recommend: Bassey Ikpi - apology to my unborn, Hebrew Mamita - PhD in Him, Suheir Hammad, Shanelle Gabriel, Staceyann Chin, Nicole Homer, Black Ice, Lemon, Daniel Fritz, Akua, Christine Hatch, Malcolm Jamal, Aja Monet and last but not least Phil Kaye. (hope I didn't forget anyone)

Tips for writing Spoken Word

Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events. Spoken word poetry originated from the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance and blues music.

Since its inception, the spoken word has been an outlet for people to release their views outside the academic and institutional domains of the university and academic or small press. The spoken word and its most popular offshoot, slam poetry, evolved into the present day soap-box for people, especially younger ones, to express their views, emotions, life experiences or information to audiences. The views of spoken word artists encompass frank commentary on religion, politics, sex and gender, often taboo subjects in the world of contemporary academic poetry.

Spoken word is used to inform or make an audience conscious of some human aspect pertaining to life.*

Honestly, I cannot remember how I discovered spoken word but I do remember the first poem I listened to and fell in love with was Sarah Kay's "Private parts". I remember I couldn't stop watching her poems that day, and  I spent the following week indoors checking out as much spoken word as I could find on line. Eventually I found out about Russell Simmons Def Poetry and I also checked those series, which I found amazing. It was so amazing, def poetry a.k.a spoken word had so much meaning into it, it could go so deep and resonate with what's inside your mind or it could be carefree- make you smile, laugh. There's always that story behind someone's poem which I find amazing and genuine! 

At one point I heard about Sarah Kay's "Project Voice" and I also listened to this broadcast where she explained how she teaches spoken word. She gave a few tips on how to start writing spoken word and she kept on insisting it was so easy that I fell for it. I got to admit, it was a bit hard in the beginning but just because I was expecting too much from me. I was listening to poets that had years to improve their skills and  I was comparing my poems with theirs. Like everything else, poetry writing takes practice... and it improves in time.

Anyway, spoken word is a really great way to put your brain to work. It also brings out the genuine, creative person inside you, and I also find it to be a good way to get a load off your chest. Each spoken word poetry can become your world for five minutes, and you can invite anyone in to share your feelings. 

So here are some tips (some of them I learned from Sarah Kay and some of them are from my own personal experience) on how to write spoken word:

1. Start off with something easy.

Sarah Kay gave some suggestions on how you should start writing poetry by writing lists. For example, start writing a list of 5-10 things I know to be true, or I should've learned by now. Also try 10 things I love/want/had.

2. Don't try too hard. 
Don't try to write super complicated filled with emotions and metaphors poems from the beginning, you'll only end up waisting time and feeling disappointed. Your first poems should go naturally, easy, that way you'll be amazed to see how far you've come after a while. One of my first poems started like this: 
"I am a believer 
I believe in sunrise and sunset,
In stars and oceans, waves and summer breeze.
I believe in achievements and wisdom, love and fear..." 

Seriously guys, it was that lame. But, with patience and practice hopefully I evolved. Take your time being a caterpillar before you are ready to turn into a talented, unique butterfly and spread your wings to fly. 

3. Inspire yourself

Look around you for things to inspire you. For example you can listen to some poetry, maybe one word or one phrase someone recites triggers something inside your brain. Listening to music is also a great inspiration source -at least for me. When I listen to music I can picture the story behind the song (but mostly only when I listen to instrumentals). Also, try to look at the world from a different perspective. When you take a walk try to observe as many things as possible, a funny incident, a person you like, a beautiful view on the landscapes. Inspire yourself from everything around you.

4. Read/watch as many spoken word/poems as possible

Pay attention to what suits you better, which artists do you like most and why. Understand it and go in that direction. For example if you like an artists that always has funny poems you may be prone to write funny poems, it's likely they'll make you feel more comfortable. You can always experience other types of poems if you want to!

5. Read your poems out loud 

I know it sounds like no big deal but trust me it makes a difference.

6. Revise and rewrite your poems 

If it doesn't sound very good right after it's done that's alright, just give it some time. Focus on writing other poems and come back to revise this one after a while, you'll have a different perspective after you took a brake from it. It'll help you see the bigger picture.

7. Use your imagination.

That's what I love most about artists, they CREATE their world however they want it to be, and they can drag you into their stories faster than you can even realize it. So use your imagination, create whatever you wish and do your best to convince the audience (even if the audience is just you or a couple of friends of yours.) that world you're writing really exists. 

8. Spoken word doesn't have to rhyme

So don't struggle to find rhymes. But, if you have a good rhyme in mind. don't hesitate! Make it part of your poetry, find your flow.

9. Make a special notebook for poetry writing.

I bought my poetry notebook just because I liked the cover of it. Every time I pull it out of my bag it makes me smile. Also one more thing I did was to write quotes from my best poems on colored post it notes and stick them on the first page of the notebook. That way every time I open the notebook to write I can read pieces of my best creations and feel proud. It really boosts up your morale. 

10. Be honest with yourself

If something hurt you and it still does let it out, don't back from your thoughts and feelings. If you worry your poem will be too cheesy or too sad, stop worrying! just let it be. Acknowledge the fact that those thoughts were haunting your brain for some time now. Get to know them and set them free...and what better way is there to set thoughts free than by poetry?

11.  Write as often as possible

And this is, the most important thing of all. Write constantly, even if you have just one or two sentences in mind, just write them down. Also, carry the notebook with you all the time. You never know when something will trigger the inspiration in you.

Wishing you the best,
Rachel

(*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoken_word)