R.Sen The Poet

“I am free to be who I wish to be and while I did not physically die, I have died a thousand deaths and just like my grandmother did, I received a fresh breath.” A snippet from R. Sen the Poet’s “Air”, a homage to her late maternal grandmother. A beautiful and touching poem about grief, acceptance, identity and spirituality following the passing of her grandmother. Deep and intimate yet relatable and calling, R. Sen the Poet uses her voice for the voiceless with hopes to inspire people to embrace their true self, and as her, overcome the dark ebbs and flow that come with that journey.

New Jersey’s own spoken word artist, writer and poet started writing at the age of 16, R. Sen didn’t even know she was writing poetry until her teacher let her know she will be a great poet. It is the way that R. Sen is able to use her personal experiences and merge it with the topics that people usually have a hard time talking about such as the struggle of heartbreak, loss and selfworth. R. Sen is able to delve into these topics and gracefully demands your attention, then redirects that attention to yourself. Her words are used to help the reader find healing, strength, hope and ultimately, selflove all through her own personal journey.

Being so vulnerable in a sea of people is very nerve-wracking, which is why self-confidence is always something R. Sen is working on. Intaking the feedback from her audiences and peers, she knows she is on the right path and right in her calling. When you think of the poets she admires and respects, it makes all the more sense. Her favorite poets are of the likes of Maya Angelou, Sylvia Plath, Allan Poe, Rupi Kaur, Amanda Lovelace, RM Drake, Rumi, R.H. Sin, and Hafiz. The list is long and the influence present as R. Sen the Poet knows and understands the rules of poetry, then breaks them. As a true poet, R. Sen doesn’t follow a standard poetry format, she produces artistry that flows and speaks to your heart. Ultimately, love is the message behind all her pieces, loving another and loving thy self. Most importantly, if you aren’t taking care of yourself, then you can’t take care of someone else. R. Sen challenges those who feel guilty over putting themselves first.

Positive, generous, and focused, R. Sen shares with readers the ultimate advice for self-love, “Nothing is a quick fix.” She advises you, “give yourself the time you need as only you know what you need, so tap in with yourself more before you tap into others and don’t feel guilty about it!” Always be mindful of the Power of the Tongue, what you say holds more bearing and impact than imaginable. “Get over your fears and just jump in!” Worst case scenario? It’s not for you.

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to get a hold of her, “Introspectrum’’ available on bn.com, amazon. com and Toniiinc.com. R. Sen was a notable performer at the New York Poetry Festival and has been featured in over 15 shows in the last three months. As for what is to come? Tap into R. Sen the Poet’s world by following her on Instagram @r.sen_thepoet where you can stay caught up with all her new exciting projects like her partnership with Stereotype Co for merch which is on sale now at www.stereotypeco.com/rsen. She will also be launching her new Blog site, R. Sen’s Corner in partnership with Rawrrzone, soon and on October 2nd, 2021, R. Sen will be hosting her first ever writing workshop called Risen, the ultimate healing experience here in New Jersey.

WRITTEN BY: MELISSA MALOON

PHOTOGRAHY: LACQUAN SCOTT