The Ink Magazine - September '21 by The ink Magazine

Our Team R. Sen the Poet

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

R. Sen is a NJ- based poet, author, spoken word artist, Activist, healer, and dog mother. You can follow her on Instagram at @r.sen_thepoet

Mike Mcalister

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Darrell is a visual artist and sculptor out of Milwaukee, WI. His Saturdays are usually spent with smooth Jazz and documentaries.

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Mike is a poet based out of Milwaukee, WI. He is a passionate wordsmith and the host of the Ethically Immoral Podcast, available on all streaming platforms. @ethicallyimmoral on Instagram.

Darrell Dulaney Sr.

You are poetry.

Theinkmag.com

September '21

We're on issue number 17 and life is good. The ink Magazine continues to grow. I don't know who needs to hear this. Maybe it's me. But, don't despise your small beginnings. Don't get frustrated because only ten people listen to your podcast. Only five people "like" your social media posts. Only two people listen to your poetry.

You're looking at it through the wrong lense. It's not "only" ten people. It's ten people-- who could be doing something else. It's five people who could scroll past your post without any interaction. Those two people that listened to your poetry made changes in thier life because of it.

Instead, be grateful that those ten people listen to your podcast consistently. And, give them what they want-- which is, more of you. Keep writing. Keep producing. Don't wait until they listen-- speak until they listen. Keep it movin', keep it writin'-- and always, keep it poetry.

Tyran

Saffold Jr.

CONTENTS

Featured Poet

Shan D Poet

Spokenword Artist. Host. Author. Shan D Poet stops by with her incredible story. Poetry rescued her and now, she's using poetry to rescue others. Barbados born, Brooken Raised, Staten Island made.

Other Features

Open Mic Spotlight

Na'Quel poetry is a creative. An innovator. A spokenword aA host. And he has taken all that and combined it into one dynamic, poetic game show. The Podpoets Lounge is here to stay. Get plugged in.

From the Grave

The little known gem of the Harlem Renessiance AliceDunbar Nelson stops by From the Grave. See hos she became the backbone to one of the greatest time periods in the world-- and her marriage with another well-known poet.

ALL ABOUT FUN!

K&T'S AXE HOUSE

IN HILSBORO, TX

Voted the Number ONE place for fun in Hillsboro

by The ink Magazine

Click this link to plan your visit!

OPEN MIC

FEATURE

THE PODPOETS LOUNG Creatives and poets alike are finding ways to make Spokenwod a household name. For example, open mics have become the standard in every city. Events featuring SpokenWord artists are the main attractions for a weekend in LA, New York, or Atlanta. Poets shine on rap and R&B albums or take center stage

at some of America’s most prominent events. Everyone is doing their part to give poetry the shine it deserves— and for the past season, the PodPoets Lounge has added its creativity and passion to the mix.

“I saw a void at (podcast streaming service) Podbean for Poets and SpokenWord artists,” creator and

host of the PodPoets Lounge, Na'Quel Poetry, explained. “I wanted to create a fun space where the poets could be themselves, share their art, and tell their stories.”

And that’s what the PodPoets Lounge is all about. A place to vibe, chill, and find out little new facts about some of the world’s greatest poets.

But what is it exactly? It’s a poetic game show in the vein of Hollywood squares with a healthy dose of all thing's poetry. A group of poets competes by answering trivia questions about past and present poets.

If you want to know what Maya Angelou ate during dinner on January 17th, 1964, tune in because we’re sure Na'Quel will have it as a question.

@the_podpoets_lounge

Ok, maybe the questions aren’t that specific, but some of them are a bit tougher than others. That is a testament to the thorough research and genuine touch delivered in every episode.

“Hours of work goes into developing each show,” Na'Quel clarifies. “From promoting across all social platforms to editing the audio files and developing the questions. There are a few apps that have made the process easier, but the work is still the same.”

Although there are a few hard questions, he throws in a few gimmies just to even things out. It’s not about embarrassing guests; it’s about kicking back, enjoying the company, and performing. Each poet will have a few times to shine throughout the episode with brief interviews and opportunities to spit their pieces.

Most people wouldn’t want to go on a trivia show, and why? Because it could be a pride issue. Nobody wants to go on and get the answers wrong. But it’s not always about winning the game. A lot of times, it’s about networking and enjoying the positive vibes that Na'Quel creates.

“At the end of the day, it’s about making the poets feel welcomed. I take the time to know as much as I can about the guests,” Na'Quel adds. “I use a test call and group chats to keep communication lines open from the moment I engage a potential guest for the show.”

And with that gentle approach and care towards every guest, it’s no wonder why the PodPoets Lounge has been such a hit in the poetic community. And after a successful first season, Na'Quel is planning a bigger and better second season of the PodPoets Lounge.

Poetry.Game

Show.

The Podpoets Lounge is actively seeking guests for thier one-of-a-kind show. If you're interested, contact @naquelpoetry

“Expect more on the promise of fun and celebration of poets. We’re going to invite a few guests from last season and add a bit more structure to the flow of the game,” he said.” Look for more partners and sponsors so the winners of the gameshow can have more prizes. We’re also kicking around ideas for an open mic.”

The Podpoets Lounge is becoming a staple in the world of poetry and SpokenWord. Na'Quel and his team are doing their part to shine a light on creatives and poetry alike. Poetry has stayed warm on the back burner for decades. But, as creatives continue to push the limits and follow their passion, SpokenWord will eventually switch to those front burners and become the main course.

BARZ.

INTERVIEWS.

GAMES AND PRIZES.

THE PODPOE TS LOUNGE.

ON THE PODBEAN APP.

DAILY

DOSE OF POE TRY

Connect

On Instagram

But, why The Podpoets Lounge? Why hosting, period? It’s a question we needed the answer to.

“It’s amazing, to be honest. The space is constructive and healing in many ways, so it is a pleasure and honor connecting with people at the Podpoets Lounge. There is also a joy in being the earwitness to poets meeting for the first time on the show. Hearing from the guests who come on the show express their joy is the type of experience I live for.”

Connect with Na'Quel @NaQuelpoetry or @thepodpoetslounge on Instagram if you’re interested in being a guest for the upcoming season. Be a part of something original, expand your network, and SPIT THAT, POET!

Listen.

The Podbean App

Play Along

During the show

SpokenWord Prepared Me For..... By Tyran Saffold Jr.

You might have “full-time poet” ambitions when you start performing SpokenWord on stage. It’s logical. You love being on stage and spitting your pieces. The audience always gives you positive feedback, and you’re growing as an artist and performer. You pour your all into performing and writing while working your 9-5. Show after show, open mic after open mic; you gain more notoriety.

But, it’s not enough.

At some point, you realize that you’ve hit a plateau. You’ve gained fans; you’ve made a decent amount of money off merch, performances, and projects. But you feel like you can’t go any higher. What do you do?

Settle into that 9-5 at a call center? Put up with your overbearing manager and waste your potential while you endure a slow death? Or, do you allow your SpokenWord experience to work for you?

That’s it. You put the skills you’ve gained through writing and performing SpokenWord and let it turn into another career that is ideally suited for your gift. Here are a few that will allow you to use your SpokenWord talent to make another career.

Option #1 Copywriting (In D Income Potential)

Copywriting is advertising with words. Yo emails you get when you sign up on an e about the information you read when you vi a sales letter to get you to purchase som things are all written by copywriters. The es copywriting is the ability to 1—grab attentio story. What have you done as a SpokenWor it—you’ve caught the attention of the aud told a story. All you have to do is understand copywriting, and that’s not hard. Head to U in “Copywriting” in the search bar OR p books. The Adweek Copywriting Hand Sugarman, The 10 Commandments of A-Li by John Bejakovic, and The Ultimate Sellin Furr. I knew nothing about Copywriting, and later, I have a full-time job as a Copywriter the side. Take a chance. You’re made for it.

Option #2 Content Writer(In Deman

Content is king. There is not a busines established, that can survive without w Everybody needs a content writer, and with you’ve gained through SpokenWord, you writing unique content for any business. The needed for this. There’s no books that purchased. If you know how to write and d into this career and flourish.

ou know those email list? How sit a website or mething? Those ssence of great on and 2—tell a rd artist? That’s ience, and you d the science of Udemy and type purchase some dbook by Joe st Copywriters g Story by Roy d three months and Clients on

nd)

ss, start-up or ritten content. h the creativity u’re capable of ere’s no classes t need to be do, you can hop

Option #3 Author(High Income Potential)

Are you a specialist in anything? Do you know how to get something done? Do you know how to tell a breathtaking story from the first page to the last? You sound like an author to me. As a poet, you may have already written a book of poems or two, but why stop there? Why not write four, or five, or six? Why not make it your career? Some authors make close to six and sometimes over six figures by selling books alone. Now, they don’t just write one and hope for the best—and they don’t write one book and hope it sells itself. They write a plethora of books and have a marketing plan to make sure everyone knows that they are out. So, for you, it will take the same ambition. Research a few marking methods or follow a few significant authors on social media and see how they do it. Regardless of what people say, there are STILL A LOT of book nerds out there that love to read and find new authors—and that’s not going away any time soon. If you’ve got a good story (and you do because people love your SpokenWord), then you’ve got the potential to write a good book.

Don’t let your talent go to waste. Don’t sit back in some cubicle and become complacent with where you are in your life. Just because you didn’t reach the “full-time poet” status doesn’t mean you can’t get the top in another way. Always shoot for the moon—but if you miss, know you’re still high enough to grab a few stars.

Life During/After Spokenword

Demand/High

From The Grave Alice Dunbar Nelxon

Interviewed by Tyran Saffold Jr

If you want to find diamonds, you need to do a little digging. Any miner will tell you that it takes patience and tenacity to find the sparkling beauty beneath the surface. On the surface of the Harlem Renaissance, you’ll see Langston Hughes, W.E.B. Duboise, Zora Neale Hurston, and the likes of those great writers and poets. They are the diamonds that have been unearthed and presented before the world. But, there are a few that remained unmined. Like Alice Moore Dunbar-Nelson, the diamonds have not been raised on the surface—yet, they still shine just as bright as the others. The ink Magazine had the pleasure of speaking with poet, essayist, diarist, and activist Alice Moore Dunbar-Nelson. And, it is with great honor that we present her to you From the Grave.

Good Afternoon, Miss Dunbar-Nelson Please, son, Alice is quite alright. And Good afternoon to you, young man. I appreciate you reaching out to me from Beyond the Grave. It’s my pleasure. And, I’ll admit, I didn’t know much about you beforehand. I was looking to see who I could bring in for a feature, and personally, I love the Harlem Renaissance era, so I usually gravitate around that period. And, after a bit of digging, I found you. Does it make you feel any kind of way that you’re not at the forefront of the movement? No, son, not at all. I understand that some writers of the time had more robust personalities. Like, Zora Neale Hurston and women like that. I’ve always been concerned about the progress of women and pushing forward the plight for our equality and respect.

Indeed. I understand that you felt oppressed at times, and we’ll get into that later. But first, for the people that don’t know who you are, please take your time explaining. I am a writer, and that branches off into various mediums. I am an essayist, poet, author, and activist of Creole descent. I am a hopeless romantic and a teacher. I am a violet that yearns for care and a gentle touch. When I was 15, I graduated from Straight College in New Orleans, where I trained in teaching and nursing. I edited the woman’s page of the New Orleans Journal of the Lodge and played the violin, cello and mandolin in my free time. Graduated at 15? I was just learning how to match my clothes correctly when I was 15. *laughing* That’s quite amusing. But, times are different than they were back in my day. Creole. Now, I’ve heard that classification before, and I apologize if this is a dumb question, but what is it exactly? *Winks her eye* Young man, there is no such thing as a dumb question. The one that asks questions yearns for information. To be Creole is to be a person of European and black descent. That European half of it is generally French or Spanish. My mother was a formerly enslaved Black seamstress, and my father was a European seaman. Where are you from? New Orleans. What was life like growing up there? I lived in a middle-class Creole community. I didn’t experience any problems, and my fair skin caused ambiguity. I could easily pass as European; therefore, I could cross lines and access places that those with dominant African features couldn’t. Through that, I was able to see various aspects of different cultures and experience other things. It helped shaped my short stories and poems as I went along in my writing career.

No. I was always interested in activities that empowered black women, and I studied Phillis Wheatley and became a charter member of the Phillis Wheatley Club in New Orleans. I also worked with the Women’s Era Club and contributed to their monthly newspaper called “The Women’s Era.” It was the first newspapers created by and made for Black women. That started my career as a journalist and activist. Now, I notice that you have a hyphenated last name. Yes. And, yes, I was enthralled with Paul Laurence Dunbar, and we eventually wed. Now, I notice that you have a hyphenated last name. Yes. And, yes, I was enthralled with Paul Laurence Dunbar, and we eventually wed. Wow. He was just featured a couple of months ago in this magazine. I didn’t know that there was a connection between you two. How did that come about? Yes. And, yes, I was enthralled with Paul Laurence Dunbar, and we eventually wed. Wow. He was just featured a couple of months ago in this magazine. I didn’t know that there was a connection between you two. How did that come about? Shortly after I released my first collection of poems and short stories, “Violets and Other Tales,” I began exchanging letters with Paul. My work had garnered his attention, and we had opposed beliefs regarding issues of race. I felt that we all were simply human beings and that many writers focused on race too closely. Those were my thoughts at the time; however, I was younger, and my idea of how things are vs. how they really were, had changed over time. But at that moment, we had differing opinions. But, I was intrigued by him and, I suppose, he was allured as well.

So, Paul slid into your inbox, huh? I’m sorry? So, I’ll bring you up to speed. In today’s time, when a man or woman likes someone else on the internet, mainly social media, they’ll “slide into their inbox.” It’s the equivalent of sending a physical letter to your mailbox back in your day. The internet is like—well, it’s just a way that people can communicate or get information in a snap. Wow. That sounds fascinating. I can’t imagine what we would have done with that type of technology. Probably the same crazy things we’re doing with it today I suppose. But, to answer your question, yes. Paul did slide into my inbox, and, as a poet, he had a way with words. That was in 1895. So, before long, the letters became romantic, and one thing led to another. As I said before, I was a hopeless romantic. I carried a metaphor with me. It was the inspiration behind “Violets and Other Tales.” I kept my distance from him, though. It was my goal to remain pure and maintain an emotional distance. But, he tried many times to advance the relationship sexually. He attempted to incite jealousy by mentioning another woman, but I didn’t succumb to it. If he wanted another woman, that was fine with me. But, we both knew it was just a ploy. In 1898, I moved to D.C. to be with him, and we eloped. So, I guess it was a match made in Heaven between you two? *She sighs deeply and looks off to the left for a moment* There are thorns and love in the roses’ bed, and Satan too must linger there. So, Satan’s wiles and the conscience stings must abide now—the roses are dead. It appeared to be that way initially. Our marriage was tumultuous in more ways than one. And, at the risk of causing him shame, I’ll leave out the horrible details.

He had personal issues—health issues— that he couldn’t deal with. I believe it caused severe depression, and it made him behave in unbecoming ways. I was the one that took the brunt of it all, and eventually, it became so bad that I had to leave him. I’m sorry you had to go through that I used the image of violets to represent love. My first written book is about a young woman in love for the first time. The woman presents her suitor with a bouquet of violets and a lock of her hair, tied together with a blue ribbon. When her suitor leaves her for a woman with a more robust economic future, the young woman dies from a broken heart. Later the suitor finds the dried bouquet and asks his wife if they came from her. Responding that she hates flowers, she tells her husband to burn them, destroying this last relic of pure love. In a way, that’s how my relationship with Paul felt to me. I put my all into it, and I was ready for it to last, always. But, it didn’t end the way I expected. A broken heart is never easy to deal with, and it can really suck the life out of you. How did you push through in your work? I switched my attention to activism. I’d always been concerned with equality for women and colored folks alike, so that’s where my energy went. When you go through heartbreak, you’re usually comforted when you go back to your foundation—the things you loved doing before the heartbreak. For me, it was activism. I continued writing, but I became more politically active when I left Paul and moved to Wilmington. I Co-founded the Equal Suffrage Study Club, and I was a field organizer for the Middle Atlantic States for the woman’s suffrage movement. I also campaigned for passing the Dyer AntiLynching Bill. I said that “Willow trees are kind, Dear God. They will not bear a body on their limbs.” I wanted to push for strict laws against lynching, but sadly, the bill was defeated by the Southern Democratic block. But, I was still very active in the NAACP and co-founded a reform school in Delaware for young Black girls.

Theinkmag.com

Wow. You were extremely busy Yes. I love my women, and I love my people. I wanted to help change how things were, not just for the present time but also for the future. I prayed that my actions would reverberate the decades beyond my time. So, you were more behind the scenes than anything else. Yes, young man. That’s why I don’t mind that I’m not at the forefront of the Renaissance. The organs are an essential part of the body, but they aren’t seen. I am an organ—and because of that, the things I do are unseen but remain vital. What was life like as a journalist for you? It wasn’t common for a woman to be in that field back then. Yes. That was a time. Being a black woman in the journalism field was similar to being a unicorn. It was damn bad luck I had with my pen. Fate had decreed that I should never make money by it. I had been denied pay for my articles and had numerous issues receiving proper recognition for my work. It wasn't very encouraging, but I knew my place —and it wasn’t sitting at home, knitting, and sewing like most women. I read your poem, “I sit, and I sew.” I know that you focused primarily on activism, but there was still an aspect to your life that made you feel oppressed. Do you want to talk about that? It’s punishment to be compelled to do what one doesn’t wish. I sit and sew – a useless task; it seems, my hands grew tired, my head weighed down with dreams. I knew that there was more to life than sitting at home and sewing or performing the typical wifely duties. There was more to life than that—at least for me.

Did you think you had a responsibility to speak about specific issues? Like, society placed an expectation upon you that you didn’t want? We are forced by cruel challenges to explain, show our wares, tell our story, excuse our shortcomings, defend our positions. And we insist that every Negro be a propagandist. We forget that didacticism is the death of art. That is something that Paul wanted me to do. He wanted me to speak the way he spoke and from his perspective simply because I was black. I did speak upon race matters, but I also spoke about love. About hope. About gender equality. I was adamantly against being told how to write or to write about what others expected me to. To be a writer means you have the freedom to write about what you feel and write about your story without someone demanding it be this way or that way. As a writer, that is how life she be. That’s how I aimed to live my life.

Didacticism is the death of art

Answers Derived From:

Encyclopedia.com

AZQuotes.com

Poets.org

The ink Magazine

BE the Poem

How do you become your poem? How do you bring your poem to life and allow your audience to experience every word? Every syllable. Every bit of emotion you poured into the piece. It’s the difference between reciting a poem and performing poetry. It’s the difference between someone saying you did a nice job and someone approaching you with teary eyes.

They felt you. And as a poet, you can’t ask for more than that.

When you become the poem, you personify the emotion you poured into it. You make it leap off the page and into the hearts of your audience. In turn, you create a fan. You create someone who wants to share your work on social media. Someone who wants to buy your projects. Someone who supports you simply because you BECAME the poem.

“You can’t merely go on stage and recite words. To be a SpokenWord artist, there is an element of performance. You have to entertain. You have to make the audience feel something that they will remember,” – GFSoldier

“You did that poem about chess. I still remember that performance to this day because of what you stirred up in me. I followed you on IG that day, and when I found out you were going to be here, I came, hoping you would do the piece again.”

No, I don’t write to elicit those types of responses. I don’t perform for people to stroke my ego. I perform because I feel free on stage. I let I performed a piece at The Dock loose of everything holding me back, Bookshop Open Mic in Fort Worth a and I become whatever piece I’m while ago. Years later, I performed at spittin’. If it’s an angry piece, you’ll another spot. After the show, see it on my face. If it’s a laid-back, someone came up to me and said, “I humorous piece, you’ll feel my joy. remember you.”

It’s an organic thing that happens I had no idea who she was, and I knew I when you’re able to BE the poem.

didn’t meet her before, but she went Is everybody designed to be a on to explain.

performance poet? Not at all—and you don’t have to be. I’ve read

Poet//Performer

Tyran Saffold JR

poems that hit every spot it needed to hit, and I never saw the poet perform it. In fact, I think it takes a greater gift to affect someone through the written word. There’s no theatrics or performance involved. It’s strictly words.

But, if you’re not already embodying your poem, you’re leaving something on the stage. No, even worse, you’re not even bringing it to the stage. Tap into that emotion. Tap into the reason you wanted to hit the stage, to begin with. You’re not doing it for the sole purpose of gaining fans, but you’re doing it to change someone’s life.

Once you become your poem, you become more than a poet. You become a catalyst for change. Embrace your poem. Embrace the stage. And Spit That, Poet!

Exclusive interview with

Shan D Poet

Interviewed by Mike Mcalister

Shan D Poet caught my attention during an Instagram Live a while ago and I've been a fan ever since. I saw her on William Washington's platform, and I've been aware of her for a while. I was excited to speak to her and know more about her poetic origin and how she came to be such a dynamic Spokenword artist, host and writer. Without further ado, The Ink Magazine presents the one and only—Shan D. Poet.

So, you are Barbados born, right? Yes. But, I’ve been here in the States since I was a little girl. I only lived in Barbados until I was about four. Then arrived in American and grew up in Brooklyn, then evolved to Staten Island. BK in the building Yaaaas, BK

Shan D Poet

September 2021 - Number 17

The Quiet Storm. So, you started writing poetry when you were ten. How were you introduced to poetry? I think it was born out of necessity. I come from a large family. Six girls, including me, and it was just my mother in the picture. I’m the baby girl. All of my sisters were much older, so I had to be my own friend and create my own playground. My mom was very protective, so I didn’t go outside and play much. She didn’t want me playing outside because she didn’t trust people, you know? She was afraid of people hurting me out in the streets. So, since I didn’t go outside, I had to develop friends and playmates and create stories. I had to create my own playland, and that’s where the poetry started. That’s when I started writing and creating stories. My imagination went into overdrive. I daydreamed a lot, and I always had these grand visions. I would look out the window and wonder what it would be like to go here and there, so I would let my mind take me where I wanted to go. And then the kids at school didn’t make it any better. I had a thick accent when I first moved here, and the kids teased me because of that. So I stopped speaking for a while, and that’s when I really just started writing everything down. My feelings and things like that. That’s when the poetry developed. So, was poetry more of a therapeutic way of expressing yourself? It was a means to an end. I wasn’t the person to just talk about my feelings. I usually just held it in and dealt with it that way. But, the pen and the pad became my best friends. That’s when I was able to write about my feelings, the struggle, and the depression. It all came out that way. When you stopped talking because of the teasing, what did you do? When did you start talking again?

My mom took me to several doctors and tried to find out why I stopped talking. I wouldn’t talk. Period. I wouldn’t’ say a world. She took me to doctors, psychiatrists, and everything. So, she ended up taking me to a speech therapist, and that’s when I started getting rid of my accent. After that, I started to talk again. How long did that take? It didn’t take long because I was really determined to get rid of the accent. I was eager to get rid of it, so I was ready. I was still young. It was just a little coaching and stuff like that. In a matter of months, I was talking again. I still had a slight accent, but it wasn’t as thick as it was before. You said you would write stories when you were younger. Do you still write them now, or is it mainly poetry? Oh yeah, I still write stories. I’m a writer before I’m a poet. So, even during school and things like that, I would submit my stories to local papers to get published. That was from an early age. I started reading and writing early, so I always had a love for the written word. Did you journal? Absolutely. I have so many journals. I can’t even count them. I still journal to this day. It helps because I’m going through this thing with my mom. She has Alzheimer’s, and I’m her caretaker. So, from day to day, she changes. Her personality and stuff, you know? It all changes right before my eyes, and I don’t talk about it with outer people, so I journal. When certain things happen, and when they have a major effect on me, I journal. I try to do it every day because it helps me cope. Journaling seems like a common origin for many writers. When I talk to them, they say that they still have their journals from when they were teenagers Click to follow

Yes. I started video journaling a few years ago. Sometimes, I just don’t want to do a written journal. I want to be in the moment. I want to see myself at the moment and get my reactions. My facial expressions and things like that. It’s the same thing as the written journal because I’m saying what I need to say at that time. And I go back and look at it six months or a year later, and I can see how broken I was. Does it affect you differently when you can see it vs. hear it? Yes. It affects me more on an emotional level. I may be crying or something, and I can feel that emotion when I look at the video later. I can feel everything. The pain and I can feel what she was going through at the moment. It hits a lot different. Over the last five years, you’ve become a lot more serious about poetry's craft and the performance aspect. Was there a catalyst that spurred you to become more focused on your poetry?

Yeah, it’s so crazy. What ends up happening is like, ten years later, you’re like, “Wow, that really happened.” And when you see the words you wrote, it takes you right back there Over time, you can see your growth and maturation. Your evolution. Usually, if you were going through a hard and painful time, you can read and get back to the moment and know what it feels like. But, you can kind of disassociate yourself from the pain you had when you wrote it. The pain doesn’t take hold of you anymore if that makes sense. Yes, it does. And what I also like about the idea of journaling is there aren’t any rules

@Shan_d_poet

Yes. A couple of my friends said they were going to an open mic and I should go up and do my thing. I had been writing a long time already, but just for myself. I wasn't writing with the thought that someone else would see the words. But, when they suggested it, I was just like. Ok, I'll do it. So, I ended up doing my first performance at the NuYoRican Café, and after that, I got the bug. I felt like I needed to perform poetry all the time. It was such a good reception. I just loved being in front of all those people. I was like, wow, all these people are sharing my words and my poetry. I was just amazed at how they reacted, and from there, I was bitten by the bug. I had to keep going. Talk about your first performance. The NuYoRican on your first performance is major. What made you decide to go up and perform? So, me and my friends planned to go to the open mic. In my head, I said I was going to see what the crowd was like and try to get my nerves up. I’m a Virgo, and if you know anything about Virgos, we’re always prepared. So, I go in there, and I have my piece ready. I’ve never done this before, but I’m just like, 'I’m gonna do this'. And when I stood up to the mic, I almost stepped back and changed my mind.

But, when I saw myself to go thr started speaking reciting the piec memorized. I br just in case I nee was dark on stag writing. So, I had ended up going freestyling. It w halfway freesty was so nervous, buckling. I thoug on the floor. But audiences befor ago, so I’d been t this capacity. I w get my bearings did it. It set the s happened after. experience of m

Do you share yo perform?

I kind of do both piece, and I let m let the piece spe I perform every

And it shows. I l your work becau you’re saying. It attention to wh makes me want message. You to touch the world go into that and

all the people, I convinced ough with it. So, I just g. I had already been ce, so I almost had it ought the paper with me eded to reference it, but it ge, and I couldn’t see my d to go from memory, and I with the flow and as halfway memory and le, but everybody loved it. I though. My knees were ght I was just going to fall t I had been in front of re. I used to sing a long time there before, but not in was really nervous. I had to s, you know? But I’m glad I stage for everything that It was the best and worst my life.

our work, or do you

h. I get into the mode of the myself travel there, then I eak through me. That’s how piece.

ove the way you perform use it draws me into what t forces me to pay at you’re saying, and it to listen and hear your old me that you want to d with your words. Can you what it means to you?

So, I found this out through my performances and most notably through this whole pandemic and going through IG Live and things like that. I realized that you don’t write pieces just for you. So, when you perform your piece and deliver it, it’s touching so many people. Over this past year, I’ve touched people worldwide, and when I see that it literally makes a difference to someone, it changes everything. For example, I randomly decided to go on an IG Live a few nights ago. A young lady that I know on IG decided to have a live stream. I’d never been on her live before, but I felt drawn to hers. So, I got on and decided to do a piece that I don’t normally perform because it’s a very personal piece. And a few days later, I got a message that the piece I delivered helped the young lady so much. It was a message that she needed to hear. So, these words make a difference. Your words make a difference. They're not just happenstance or something pretty to look at. They make a difference. And I host a show every Thursday called therapeutic Thursdays. Usually, I’ll have a topic, and then we’ll get deep, and the poetry will flow. But, so many times, a poet will come on and deliver a piece, and I’m just like, ‘wow, were you in my head’? It’s broken me down in front of hundreds of people because you connect to the words. You connect to the feelings. Poetry is universal. You don’t need any decoding. When you need to get something off your chest, nothing seems to do it better than poetry. Do you have an idea why that is the default way of relieving pain or expressing emotion?

Poetry is universal. You don't need any decoding

Get Nakidd? Click the circle to find out about Shan's upcoming book "Be Nakidd"

Well, for me, I’ve always loved the written word, and when you hit that pen to paper, there’s no other interactions. There's no distractions. It’s just you, the pen and the pad, and it can be whatever you want it to be. And when you have those feelings that you need to regurgitate, you’re analyzing all the mess you’ve gone through. The pain, hurt, and happiness. But, when you do it eloquently in a way that can speak to anyone, it’s special. It’s so much more special than any other way of communication. It's a special moment when you can craft those emotions into something that can touch the world, and the world can see and feel your pain. The Grapevinesway is an all-female platform, and you cohost a show called Therapeutic Thursdays. What led you to be a part of that platform? It’s funny because I never envisioned myself doing anything like that. I think the pandemic allowed us to reach outside our boundaries and allowed us to try new things. So, I saw a post about them asking for a host. I’d already been loving that platform and that content, so I was tuned in already. I wasn’t sure if it was something I could do. I never hosted before, and at that point, I hardly had any followers. I didn’t think I’d be selected. But when I interviewed, it was amazing. We connected on a whole new level. She said she was looking for someone who is organic and can reach people. Someone with a great personality who can deliver the content. So, I signed on, and it’s been almost two years now. I’ve seen my growth from the very first show to now. It’s totally different. I’ve really grown, and the platform has grown to a level I never anticipated. How does that make you feel? It’s really satisfying because every week, I take it seriously. This is people’s lives and time. Sometimes I curate performers on the show. Sometimes I interview artists, so I put great thought into it when I curate a show. And, what I get out of the show is really amazing. It’s so much great content and information. I enjoy the people; I act up, you know? (laughing) It’s great. It really is.

You’ve also started an online boutique. Talk ab

So, this was another thing born out of the pand always had the thought process of an entrepre then I finally had the time to put those thoughts was able to stay home with my mom and take c but it also gave me the time to focus on the thing to do. So fashion and entrepreneurship were alw forefront, but I just didn’t have the time. So, I create an online boutique, and it’s doing good. book called, "Be Nakidd" coming out this mont I've been busy.

What allows you to "Be Nakidd" when you writ

What is writing if it doesn’t fulfill you and your n moment? If it stays on the page and you don’t touch someone else? You have to be authentic t You have to be transparent. You have to be n that’s where the title of my book came from. Yo take away all those filters for someone to connec and feel what you feel and live through your eyes have any filters. Be authentic as you can b transparent as you can be. That’s my mantra.

bout that.

demic. I’ve eneur, and to action. I care of her, gs I wanted ways at the decided to I’ve got a th, too. So,

te?

Dopeness.

eed at that allow it to to yourself. naked, and ou have to ct with you s. You can’t be and as