It started as a personal blog but Deanna turned it into a Magazine so she could promote other writers too.
Pen names are a beautiful thing. They are cocoons, allowing for the metamorphosis of a writer or poet. A writer either reveals their identity or they find solace in their cocoon. I know many talented poets whose identities are still a secret to me. Anonymity has its perks, and many writers become published this way. Not all paths lead to the same place. For those that want to be known, I have chosen to use my website to promote their work, along with my own.
Eve Poetry Magazine is an organic evolution of my great love to support and help others. I use my social media pages, both @eve_poetry and @evepoetrygroup to create inspiration and mentor others. Becoming a published author depends largely upon marketing. I use my skills in marketing to help bring light to beautiful poetry and writing.
Everyone has a story. People who share their written stories deserve to be seen and heard. This is the heart behind Eve Poetry Magazine.
Currently, I am polishing up my first novel. I schedule reading and writing into my days, and although there are days this is tough, it’s completely worth it! Having a full time job and writing a novel requires strong time management. However, pursuing my passion is worthy of grappling such things!
Recently, I attended my first writers’ conference. The Willamette Writers Conference was an amazing experience. I made friends and connections with talented authors and industry professionals. In conclusion, I can proudly say that I’m pursuing my dream of becoming a published author.
Writers Conferences occur all over the world. In this article, I will share my first-hand experience and reasons all writers should attend them.
This year, I attended my second writers’ conference hosted by Willamette Writers. After each, I left the conference more confident in my writing, more prepared for the current publishing climate, and better connected to industry professionals who can make a difference in my writing career. Bonus: I also made new friends.
If you’re embarking on your dream to be a writer, I encourage you to read through this article. Comment with questions, then verify with your own research.
#1: Valuable Workshops
Willamette Writers may be unique in that there was literally something for every type of writer. Some writers’ conferences focus on specific genres. Some examples of this: Sleuthfest, for mystery, suspense and thriller writers, RWA Conference, for romance writers, and The Writer’s Hotel Poetry Weekend.
If your writing focus is singular, genre-specific conferences are a great option. If you’re like me, and write a variety of things, I recommend attending a general writing conference.
Understanding and Negotiating Publishing Agreements
Suspense Five Ways
Structuring the Romance Novel for Success
The Work: Poetry Writing
The above is just a sampling of the variety of courses that help writers dive deep.
#2: Education by High-Caliber Industry Professionals
This one is hand in hand with Reason #1, but deserves its own spot. The authors and educators selected for conferences have proven track records of success. You get to learn from them in an intimate environment with opportunities to ask questions and glean knowledge that you can apply to your work or writing journey immediately.
These are best-selling authors, literary agents, editors, professors, etc. The face-to-face opportunities with these individuals, alone, make attending writers’ conferences worth every penny.
#3: Pitches
Many writers’ conferences provide the opportunity to pitch literary agents who actively seek new authors/poets with new material.
Literary agents are inundated with queries daily. One way to push your manuscript to the forefront and avoid the slush pile is to attend a writers’ conference and sign up to pitch agents. Not all conferences offer this option. If you wish to pitch, verify the conference you attend offers them.
Pitching agents is an additional cost to the conference fee, but 100% worth it if you dream of traditional publishing. But if you’re interested in indie publishers’, they accept pitches too! And pitching indie publishers pushes you to the top of their inbox and guarantees your work gets read by the right person.
Bottom line: if you want your work published (regardless of “how”), pitch agents at a conference!
Here are articles I found helpful to prepare for my pitches:
One of my favorite experiences at conferences are the keynote speakers. These are individuals who are living the dream. They’ve found a level of success in writing that we all aspire to. They inspire, encourage, and share first-hand knowledge writers can apply to their journey.
At an in-person conference, they speak on stage, then follow their speech with a book signing. The virtual experience (courtesy of COVID-19) takes the book signing element away, but I found a different and positive intimacy by attending the keynote via Zoom, and still left the keynote inspired, encouraged, and with new knowledge.
Here are some keynotes from Willamette Writers 2020. They are examples of the caliber of keynotes you may experience at your first conference.
Good keynotes aspire writers to see their future selves. I’ve not attended a keynote that didn’t do this for me.
#5: Connections
The most valuable take-aways from writers’ conferences are connections. Writers make lifelong friends, receive valuable resource recommendations (for editors, indie publishers, etc.), and exchange contact information with industry professionals that can change their lives.
There is no other experience like it. At both conferences, (both live and virtual) I’ve made new friends. Who else can understand your journey better than another aspiring writer?
When you attend your first conference, I encourage you to make friends too. Be open to conversations with people you don’t know. It may feel scary or uncomfortable, but I promise you it’s worth it, and you’ll quickly feel the fear melt away.
Upcoming conferences as of 8/2020:
Please do your own research when vetting a writers’ conference to attend. Find the right fit for you.
I highly recommend you research your local region for literary associations. These usually require a minimal fee and offer discounts on, and free, workshops, clubs, and networking opportunities. In Portland, Oregon, we have Willamette Writers and Literary Arts.
Often these associations will host the regional writers’ conference and offer discounts to its members, and volunteer options to attend the conference for free.
If you’re ready to get serious about your writing I implore you to PLUG IN to your local writing groups and organizations.
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
The Child Finder moves effortlessly. I couldn’t wait until I had free moments to read this book.
I wanted to find out where Naomi went next. To discover what happened to Madison and Snow Girl. The story unfolds, allowing you to get to know the characters just the right amount.
Naomi is brilliant. A strong female protagonist who kicks butt and creates her own path. The mystery of her past is provocative and intriguing. I want to read the second book to learn more about Naomi, and I think anyone who reads The Child Finder will feel the same.
In a nutshell: It’s a page turner. Has a great momentum to the climax. Solid ending. I have closure as a reader, but want to read more. Empowering read for women. I highly recommend it! My goal for my first novel (just completed) is to turn pages for the readers the way I turned pages reading this book.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
Blood in my veins, In a frozen state, Sliding like wine On his curved, red lips.
Smoke in the air; My thoughts burning. Gaze stuck on the window, Is the rain coming?
Lock my hands, Throw the keys, Push me in the fire, Watch it melt with me.
If love is a tale, Then what is your role? Dying for your lover, Or let him kill you on his own? Or let him kill you on his own?
Aaradhya Aggarwal
I am from Uttar Pradesh, India. My hobbies include writing songs, singing, and sketching.
I am a high school student. Writing is amusing for me, but I also plan to publish my work. I have my poem “Rain On Fire” published in the book “Bloom: Poems of Loss, Heartbreak, and New Beginnings” presented by Poem Wars and edited by R.J. Hendrickson.
I have a poetic account on Instagram: @_ocean_mind_
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
Follower hide-and-seek. Only ten percent of followers see your posts. 10%! Thanks to the Instagram (which includes Facebook) algorithm.
I get 2% of likes to my number of followers. This makes me believe less than 10% of my followers see my posts in their feed. The alternative explanation is that my posts did not capture my followers’ attention. Therefore, not giving any likes.
What can I do to improve this? How can I get more followers to see my posts? If you research the Internet, these same general bullet points turn up to these questions:
Better photo quality
Publish consistent stories
Publish video content
Go live, and often
Answer DM’s
Craft better captions – add a call to action or question.
Have a contest or giveaway
Refine hashtag usage
Post when your followers are online
Avoid shadowban hashtags
I’ll share what I’ve learned on my Instagram journey from the perspective of an author and poet.
Instagram’s algorithm is unfavorable to words.
Did you know Instagram is unfavorable to words? When I created my Instagram account to feature my written work, I did not understand this!
In the beginning, it didn’t matter to me. I used my poetry account as a small creative outlet. I wasn’t thinking in terms of “likes” and “follows”. But once I took myself seriously as a writer, I looked at my use of social media differently.
I’ll address this unfavorable word topic below. But first…
Do you take writing seriously?
Do you call yourself a writer? A poet? An author?
If your answer to any of those questions is yes, GOOD! If it is not, why? Now, if writing is your hobby, then worrying about followers and likes is irrelevant and this article might not be for you.
However, if you care about this topic. If you want people to read what you write, you must resolve these issues. Admit to yourself that you’re a writer. Admit you’re a poet. Say it out loud. Tell someone. It’s okay.
Here’s a little secret – the people you think will judge you, don’t! The support surprised me when I told friends and family about my poetry and writing. You aren’t alone in hiding from shame.
You’re in good company.
This topic came up at a writers’ conference I attended. So many people admitted to hiding it. A keynote speaker encouraged everyone to say it out loud. I am a writer.
It was the best advice! I had already outed myself as a writer. But it affirmed in my heart something I had wanted to shout over Instagram, Admit what and who you are! Be proud! Embrace it!
Okay, now that you’ve admitted you’re a writer. Now, what? One of my college professors said, “You must market yourself as a writer.”
Writers must market themselves.
My professor was a published author who wrote an award-winning children’s book. She taught my Professional Writing class that writing success was our responsibility.
Unfortunately, I took this course prior to Facebook and Instagram. Authors then lacked concern for social media. Social media was irrelevant for writers then.
Swipe worthy marketing.
Today our world is different. The business of writing looks different. More competitive than ever. With the reader’s attention distracted by other, new stimuli offered immediately at their fingertips. People favor fast fulfillment. They want posts impressing them in ten seconds or less.
This century’s writers must capture readers in a finger swipe. As I write more on each point, keep this in mind. Ten seconds. A finger swipe.
This post contains affiliate links. An affiliate link means I may earn advertising/referral fees if you make a purchase through my link, with no extra cost to you. It helps to keep this little magazine afloat. Thanks for your support. Read full disclosure here.
Quality matters.
Poor quality, spelling and grammar errors, and anything visually displeasing turns off fast eyes scanning an Instagram feed.
Use a spellcheck! Capitalize. I see a wave of people using lowercase EVERYTHING. Please, for the love of words, cut it out!
This is a fad that will fade, then die. As it should. It’s lazy. If your art is words, become a master of words. You can’t move from apprentice to master when you’re too lazy to capitalize and use proper grammar.
Now, I didn’t say perfect grammar. No one is perfect. Books make it to store shelves with mistakes in them. But this is the exception, not the rule. Accidents happen. People forgive happy little accidents. (Side thought: Could I become the Bob Ross of writing?“Let’s make this lowercase i into an I. There, now that’s better.”)
Help abounds.
Feeling rusty? That’s okay. There are tools to help you. We’re all using them!
Google Docs corrects your spelling and grammar for free. I use ProWritingAid. It made revising my novel possible. ProWritingAid catches spelling errors. It flags repeat words, or if the writers used too many glue words. It catches passive voice versus active voice. It’s freaking amazing.
Using ProWritingAid is like taking a refresher English course. In fact, I’m using it to write this article.
Highly recommend ProWritingAid, or Grammarly. Both offer free services. Use their free grammar checks. Try both free. I heard multiple authors say they use both during the revision process at my last writers’ conference.
I promise these resources will help you become a better writer. Remain a student of your craft and it will shine through your words.
Have out-of-focus posts turned you off? I’ve read well-crafted poems I didn’t feature on @evepoetrygroup because the words were fuzzy. Well written but “blah” to the eye. You can’t do that on Instagram and expect follower growth. For good reason, too.
It’s all about aesthetic these days.
Don’t know how to make eye-catching, beautiful posts? Good news! You don’t have to be a graphic designer and a great writer. Use apps. They’re awesome. They make life easier.
My recommendation is Canva. You can use Canva for free. Upgrading to Pro opens access to premium gorgeous fonts and stock photos. But again, you’d do just fine with the free version too.
Pick a look for your feed. Brand yourself. If you create a look and feel and decide you hate it, change it. That’s okay too. I’ve gone through a few phases of testing different looks.
Your brand.
Creating a brand is a process. You, the writer, have a brand. Make it look and feel you. Your brand is the message you wish to send. It should look the way you want your audience to feel.
Test things out. Change your mind. Eventually you’ll find your aesthetic. Your brand.
Do this, and people will follow you. They’ll like your posts more often. Because they will instantly recognize your post in their feed from your branding. It will happen. You’ll get there.
How often do you post?
Consistent posts are important for account growth. Anywhere from one to four posts per day are okay. Too many posts will flag you as spam.
Find a happy number that works with your schedule. There is no magic number of posts. Bummer, right? Consistency is key. Not posting all day long.
People desire reliable Instagram accounts that post consistent, quality material. Bottom line, yo! (Sorry, on a Breaking Bad kick ever since El Camino came out.)
The what. Words, Words, Too Many Words.
More words on an Instagram post (or caption) means fewer likes. That’s it. The short and sweet. And it sours your tongue, right?
How do writers deal with it? Keep reading. This may cause debate. But if you want to be a professional writer, you need to throw away any purist notions you have about sharing your work on social media.
First thing to understand: They created Instagram for people to share photographs. It has a simple scroll feature for this purpose. This feature, by design, is unfavorable to posts filled with words.
The why. Why do they hate my words?
Casual scrolling is lazy. Reading is work. Casual scrolling and reading a post, then reading the long caption that goes along with it, doesn’t mesh super well.
Avid readers (who read books, not Instagram posts) or your supportive writer friends read your longish posts. However, you’re not capturing followers in droves because you’re not thinking of your audience’s mindset.
The who. Know your audience.
Mothers, fathers, teenagers, baristas, foodies, the Kardashian’s, white collar business men looking for love, every race, religion, and creed. Just about every type of human is on social media. Except people with something to hide. But I digress. That’ll be a different, festive article.
Your audience is a beautiful mix of people who log on social media for moments of escapism.
They check Instagram in the bathroom at work. Yeah, that’s right. They read your flowery sonnet squatting on the toilet. Sitting in traffic (not safe, but you people do it!). Social media checks occur in line at the grocery store or in a doctor’s waiting room.
Short wisps of time. That is your audience’s mindset.
Make your follower smile in the short 30-seconds you have their attention. Make them giggle. Embarrass them while they wait in line at Starbucks. Cause them to snort with laughter from the brilliant photo you picked to illustrate your short narrative.
Keep it brief. Little word appetizers. Teasers. The happy hour menu. Make them want to stay for dinner. Now I’m getting ahead of myself.
The How.
Create posts incorporating everything mentioned above. If your poem is long, include a portion of your poem in the post. Ensure the stanza or portion you include displays in high resolution.
The post should be crisp and clear. Dazzle the eyes. Use resources like Canva to do it.
Include the full poem in the post’s caption or guide people to your website for the full read. Use the post as a teaser. But be sure the post itself is complete. It should stand on its own.
Break it down.
It’s okay if they read, like and scroll on. A few dazzling nibbles later, the reader will read further. They’ll investigate your profile.
Using the caption for the full poem can be tricky. Someone may love a post but scares off by a lengthy caption. Short attention spans. Remember, the mindsets of brilliant people changes for social media.
Using Instagram’s carousel option works too. Breakdown your writing into two or three images for one post.
Use high-resolution graphics and smaller fonts. Poems appear more consumable to the eyes. It’s strange, yes. But it worked for me on my post shown below.
If concise wording is key in both post and caption, then a website is even more important for writers. Use social media to draw fans of your writing to your website.
Use your own judgement regarding the format you use. I’m leaning toward shorter posts and non-wordy captions and directing my followers to read my website content. (Except for contests, etc. That’s different.)
If you build it, they will come.
Don’t have a website? Why not? These days it’s super easy to slap a blog together.
Use your website to display your long form poetry. Then you can play around as much as you like. It’s your dang website! Instagram can’t tell you what to do there!
Plus, you can link all your social media channels to your website to solidify your brand.
Believe me, if I can start a website, so can you. Weebly is a great option.
You can’t buy popularity on Insta.
Many sources recommend paid promotions through Instagram when I researched increasing post reach. So I tried this theory. A theory that claims paying for promotions increases reach on the algorithm because it reassures Instagram that you’re not a bot. That you don’t sketchy things to gain likes or followers.
Instagram cracked down on scandalous tactics people use. Buying likes and followers: Don’t do it. Accounts disappeared in the past six months because of Instagram’s crackdown on fake likes and followers. Did you notice it too?
Many legit accounts (like mine and yours) suffer because people shirked the system. They bought social media popularity. It didn’t work out for them. Because of it, the rest of us must work CRAZY HARD for visibility. Changes Instagram implemented reduced our post exposure.
Paid Promotions
The process. First, I selected a post of mine to promote to test the theory mentioned above. Next, I set up the post and selected my target audience. I recommend picking your target audience versus letting Instagram do it for you.
In selecting my audience, I honed in on where I needed growth most. I picked locations where I wanted exposure. After making my selections, my potential reach was at 83,000,000. That’s huge!
Finally, they have you pick your budget and duration. I picked two days and ten dollars for the budget. Doing so reduced my reach. By a lot. Instagram will show you the number of reach in a range based on budget and duration.
It makes sense. Instagram provides instructions in their Help section, if you need them.
This process added to my awareness of the amount of control Instagram has on who sees our posts. If I pay more, they let more people see my posts. The more you spend, the more exposure they let you have. Otherwise, screw you, Eve Poetry! (Again, I digress.)
Once the promotion began, I received an email from Facebook. In fact, I received three emails from three different posts that I paid Instagram to promote.
The Instagram Rub
And by rub, I mean a real gnarly carpet burn. They informed me, “your image contains too much text”. In the subject line of one email, ” Your Ad Is Not Delivering.”
I’ve included screenshots of these emails below for your viewing pleasure.
Email received after trying Instagram promotion.
After the above promotion, I experimented with different text styles, font size, and the number of words. Adjusting the standards in ways I thought would please Instagram. Then I received another email.
Second email received from Facebook.
Want to know the worst part? Instagram won’t allow you to edit a post once promoted. Facebook emails telling you to fix the problem. Then Instagram won’t let you. Even after the promotion is over, you can’t edit the dang post!
On both posts, I opted to delete the promotion. Because I couldn’t edit my post. If I can’t “fix the problem” as instructed, I won’t waste my money.
Instagram (Facebook) blamed me, a writer promoting my art form, for using too much of my art in my post. Ultimately, they blame the user to create an excuse for the debacle that is the algorithm. The algorithm controls viewership. It’s censorship. They censor who sees what.
Censorshipin disguise.
In saying this, I realize there are reasons for their censorship. Many iterations of the algorithm were to protect people from harm or bullying. This is important. I respect safety. Online bullying is unacceptable. No one should be unsafe on social media.
Using an algorithm to censor artists is not the answer either. Limiting how many people see our posts is censorship. They mask their censorship with their algorithm. That sucks. Nothing we can do about it but quit Instagram or learn how to use this tool, obstacles and all.
The obstacle is invisible, and writers have it worst!
The transition from what you’ve been doing to implementing any suggestions I’ve made requires patience. Be patient with yourself. Don’t try everything all at once. Practice self care. It’s frustrating. So be kind to you.
Take it in small bites. Just like the saying, how does a mouse eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Try small changes and see if your likes increase or decrease. If they increase, keep doing it! If you don’t see improvement, adjust something. Small increments.
Did you lose likes? Something didn’t work the way you hoped? It’s not a failure. Don’t think you failed by trying something new.
Even recently, I’ve tried new things that failed. I expect it. I lick my wounds and try again. Licking wounds is gross, so I get a little better with each new attempt.
Unless you explode overnight and become the next Atticus, it’s a process. I have posts that bomb. I’m in a process. Still finding my groove for Eve Poetry on Instagram.
Comfort zones are danger zones.
Use Instagram Live. It’s another layer of exposure. All video features for Instagram help you increase reach. If you hate Lives, then make appearances through your Instagram story.
Don’t use Insta Stories only to share your posts. Change it up. Show a piece of your life. Connect with your followers. Be a real person. People want a connection.
Connection matters.
Recently, I saw Margaret Atwood on stage. I’m a huge fan of The Handmaid’s Tale. However, once I saw her live in person, I became enraptured.
My fan status jumped up a huge notch seeing and hearing her discuss her life and her work. She is wonderful. She was wholly herself.
My husband wasn’t a fan, but he turned to me fifteen minutes into her interview and said, “I want her to be my grandma!” This is a testament (pun intended) to the importance of connection.
What it’s all about.
Seeing someone. Hearing a voice. It creates a real connection. Connection creates real followers. Real followers create real engagement. Real engagement creates authentic accounts with real growth. Strive for this.
Comment with Questions
Don’t fear my dear, there will be more of these. This is long enough, yet there is still so much I need to tell you!
If I left something out, comment and I’ll include it in my next article! Thanks for reading. Please let me know if this helped. If you found it helpful, please share it!
We are all so much more than our statuses, our faces or our anxieties.
We are caring and kind, but beyond that, we are not always fine.
And that is okay.
We are deeper than our smiles, our cries, and our laughs. We are human. Our emotions are so much more vast.
And we will be stronger.
The quietest person in the room fights off the loudest thoughts. Actually, scratch that, anyone can be plagued with mental exhaust. The person who seems to have everything all figured out, really, has never felt more lost.
And that is okay.
Because we are beautiful and we are bold. and we are different and have untold futures awaiting all of us.
So we will change the world.
Riley Bader
Hi, my name is Riley Bader and I am currently a high school student. Writing has always been one of my passions so I decided to create an account for my poetry! But, aside from writing, I also love swimming and playing or listening to music. My poetry account’s username is @whitestorm_poetry. All of the support I have there means the world to me!
This post contains affiliate links. An affiliate link means I may earn advertising / referral fees if you make a purchase through my link, without any extra cost to you. It helps to keep this little magazine afloat. Thanks for your support. Read full disclosure here.
It's so close Very close Thus why does it seem so far? As the feet approach The view gets distant Luring the heart to walk infinite miles Grazing along the broad wide road There lies the path to love Entangled in a circle
What seemed nigh stands afar Feet are swollen to the kneel Strength fades away at each step From the eyes Flows two rivers down the cheek Why should the pursuit seize? When you've entertained love's wonder How it mends broken hearts Keeps hope alive And stripes stench of sorrow
Its path remains circular And it soon reaches you When patience is not exasperating Best you take a position within Always alert Love soon smiles at you
Peter Anko
Hi, my name is Peter Anko, and I was born in the early nineties. I am a Nigerian and a teacher of English Language and literature.
I enjoy reading, writing, editing print and playing the keyboard. Writing is serious for me. I write poems, short stories and screenplays. Someday, I wish to publish my work. Catch my thoughts on Instagram – Peteranko1
You will meet people in your life who will stamp on your stem when they notice the blossoming rooted in your skin their crooked roots intertwined with decay, envy rotting their soil they cannot bare to see such beauty flourish from you
Others you meet in this life will water you even with their last turquoise droplet gently guiding as you fumble finding your way up and out from the earth they will admire you boasting to others of the purity within your leaves
Evenings
By Niamh Murphy
That evening I looked up losing my eyes in the thick black abyss that wrapped the sky so suffocatingly tight that I wondered how the stars did not shatter under such pressure
That evening I looked down losing my eyes within the crumbling of my body as grief tied a knot around my limbs I wondered how my bones did not shatter under such pressure
This evening I looked up placing my eyes on the azure gleam above that glazed so delicately I understood grief had flown from me and had strengthened my soul under such pressure
Niamh Murphy
I’m from Birmingham in the UK. I’m nineteen years old. I’m living in the beautiful city of Bath as a second year university student! I study creative writing, I absolutely love it. I get to explore so many writing forms, such as journalism, writing for children, life writing and even publishing. This year I’m studying spoken word within my course, which I can’t wait for because I’m performing my poetry. I’m a member of the spoken word society within my uni, which lets young aspiring writers like me share our work. I think this is so important within a university environment as poetry can be so emotionally based, I think it’s so important for uni students to listen to emotional content because they’re words that could help them with their own battles that maybe nobody knows about. Writing has always been a passion of mine, it’s my first love for sure. I’ve been writing poems and my own quotes in notebooks since I was around fourteen.
It’s almost been therapeutic for me, if I’ve had a challenge or a life experience I’ve found hard to digest, I naturally just start writing a poem about it. For example when I experienced grief, I wrote a collection of poems. This was a chronological set of poems, each exploring the individual stages someone encounters when grieving. Within this collection, I personified different elements of nature as helping the speaker through each step.
I love including imagery of the sun and moon in my poems, personifying them as beings that want to help and guide us; I also love personifying nature itself as a caring entity. The overall focus of my poetry is to help others with emotions and challenges in life and to embed a positive perception of tough situations so that the reader can be assured there’s light at the end of the tunnel. I love embedding modern issues for people of my age and all ages, such as feeling lost within yourself or worthless. I weave these issues into my writing in ways that provide my readers with fresh outlooks towards hard situations. hey
I have a book independently published on amazon titled ‘Emotionfull’, that almost takes the form of life advice. I was seventeen at the time and feel my writing style has changed since then, but I’m still proud to have achieved this. I have my poetry Instagram titled @niamhmurphy_poetry and would love it if you give it a follow as it’s where I post my work regularly. I also provide my followers with a little daily thought segment! Thank you so much for your time.
This post contains affiliate links. An affiliate link means I may earn advertising / referral fees if you make a purchase through my link, with no extra cost to you. It helps to keep this little magazine afloat. Thanks for your support. Full disclosure here.
She Could Just Sit in a Wheelchair by Patricia Ndombe
I put my depression aside whenever I take care of my grandmother. But there is always enough time to wonder what she thinks of me as I help lift her out of bed. She can hear the discs of my back scrape spine. Screw ergonomics. What will I tell her if she asks of my back?
There is an hourglass that sits on her forehead. She sits up and swallows pills like I swallow sleep. Grandma, please, let us get you a wheelchair.
I can hear her tick to the beat of a dying analog clock. Please stop worrying about us.
To Cut Yoko Too Far by Patricia Ndombe
I watched your piece, Yoko I am terrified
I hear your sighs turn shallow as people circle close around you Were you afraid too?
I cursed the men who touched you The men who snipped at your thighs and your chest, refusing to drop their masculinity in your divine presence
I cursed the man who circled you, pulling power from the scissors lying there, praying you would stay prey as other women in his eyes
I cursed the man who sliced your sleeve Go home, Pervert, to the pillow that holds your semen-pee
Did I pierce your piece Yoko?
The women were precious, love Not predators for at least the first few minutes of poetry class
I am sorry, Yoko I have screamed the stereotype You must forgive me, though many will not
I will now return to the fuming feminist that my mother knows and loves
Dedicated to Yoko Ono’s “Cut Piece”
About the Poet
Patricia Ndombe is currently an undergraduate poet at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC pursuing a major in English and Creative Writing. She is shaped by a family precisely half African and half African-American. Along with her other passions such as self-care and holistic health, she enjoys writing poetry as a creative outlet that enables her to reflect the world around her, escape the troubles of life, or look at it through another lens. Many of her poems were inspired while struggling with periods of identity uncertainty during her first two years of college, and this turbulent time period has given way to many others. Patricia has been blessed with the opportunity to publish over ten poems so far this year, including celebrated poems such as: “Ekeko”, finalist in the 2019 Gabo Prize for Literature in Translation & Multilingual Texts. “I want to be pricked the tongue by a fish hook”, a finalist in the 2019 NC State University Poetry Contest, and “Broughton Dr & Hillsborough St”.
The war in me for equality For equal pay Performing quality work in the same way And never needing to be told Cause I have integrity to uphold I do what is right Regardless of whose around or nowhere in sight In my skin, I have nothing to hide Living above reproach with family on my side Not the one's that you may think Most of them prefer that I fail and sink Please don't waste pretense to worry about me I know who to trust and hold close Those who are fake in due time, truth wins and their lies are exposed
This post contains affiliate links. An affiliate link means I may earn advertising / referral fees if you make a purchase through my link, with no extra cost to you. It helps to keep this little magazine afloat. Thanks for your support. Read full disclosure here.
Sun rises over the city Tired people in robotic motion to survive employment Daily excavation of already empty voids Filling fridges with grass fed meat Paying mortgages that enslave them Windows down feels like freedom Absorbing luscious sky Commuting in rows of all wheel drive Ruminations of what they'll miss today Bittersweet sunrise spectacle Distant dreams fading engulfed by reality of office murmurs and fluorescent light To do it all again tomorrow
This post contains affiliate links. An affiliate link means I may earn advertising/referral fees if you make a purchase through my link, with no extra cost to you. It helps to keep this little magazine afloat. Thanks for your support. Read full disclosure here.
