Poetry for Life

Kimberly A. Collins, a poet, writer, mother, and English professor wrote Remember My Name , a poem that's been used by Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) observances for over 2 decades. As you read these words the hope is that we will never forget the names of the lives of those lost to domestic violence or the victims that by the grace of God are still with us.  We should always remember to continue to heal through our shared connections and experiences. See below to read Remember My Name . Remember My Name  When you remember my walk upon this earth Look not into my steps with pity. When you taste the tears of my journey Notice how they fill my footprints Not my spirit For that remains with me. My story must be told Must remain in conscious memory So my daughters won’t cry my tears Or follow my tortured legacy. Lovin’ is a tricky thing If it doesn’t come from a healthy place, If Lovin’ Doesn’t FIRST practice on self it will act like a stray bu...

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month! It is a time when we recognize the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. This month we will take some time to recognize a poet of Hispanic descent, Sandra Cisneros. Sandra Cisneros is not only a poet but an essayist, short story writer, and novelist. One of her most notable works is an excellent collection of vignettes, The House on Mango Street. Another notable work/poem (and one of my favorites), Loose Woman is below. Loose Woman  They say I'm a beast  And feast on it. When all along I thought that’s what a woman was. They say I’m a bitch. Or witch. I’ve claimed the same and never winced. They say I’m a macha, hell on wheels, viva-la-vulva, fire and brimstone, man-hating, devastating, boogey-woman lesbian. Not necessarily, but I like the compliment. The mob arrives with stones and sticks to maim and lame and do me in. All the same, when I open my mouth, they wobble like g...

A letter to myself __________________________ I love to hate you Wanting shame to inspire change Needing you to need me Misery loves company And I will not remain alone Suffering produces character The Bible tells me so So let me help you be more like the Almighty My bitterness is your secret admirer So wear disgrace like a badge of honor Fear like a diamond necklace Hold tight to that fear and let it consume you Until it’s hard to think Hard to sleep Hard to breathe Let disgrace be the antidote to your inner peace Let shame be the culprit of your shattered dreams Let anger be the doorway to a life half-lived Let pride steal the essence of your being And then Let go And accept God’s grace before it’s too late

Check out my new book: Poems of Love and Life from a Simple Black Girl  on Amazon.com.

Happy Pride Month!!! If you are looking for ways to celebrate Pride Month and poetry at the same time you have come to the right place.You can start by checking out works by these famous LGBT poets - Walt Whitman Langston Hughes James Baldwin Alice Walker Emily Dickinson Georgia Douglas Johnson Oscar Wilde  Poets.org is also celebrating LGBT Pride Month by highlighting some excellent works of poetry by the LGBTQ community.  Click the link to check it out - http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/lgbtq-poetry . Do you want to be speechless? Check out this link and read/listen to some LGBT poets whose powerful, heartfelt words about their own experiences will leave you without words - http://www.buzzfeed.com/skarlan/8-pieces-of-lgbt-spoken-word-poetry-that-will-leave-you-spee#.tmW884r5YW . Be ready some it can be viewed as controversial. Feel free to also check out a local poetry open mic. Busboys and Poets hosts a monthly open mic - Sparkle . See details below. ...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As you may or may not know, poetry can be very healing especially for those who are mentally ill. As Anne Sexton stated-- "Poetry led me by the hand out of madness." Mental illness can also be a source of brilliance and creativity. Edgar Allan Poe reminds of this in his quote about himself -- " Men have called me mad but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence" . Many poets' writing has been shaped by their mental illness.  Let us honor those pioneers --Sylvia Plath, Lord Byron, Edgar Allan Poe, John Keats and Emily Dickinson -- as we read this piece below, "Alone" by Poe.  I've also included one of my own, "Why?" behind it. Don't forget to remember those who are suffering and honor them with your time and effort this month! Alone By Edgar Allan Poe From childhood's hour I have not been As others were; I have not seen As others saw; ...

Here are some things to do to celebrate the month! Week 1: Attend a poetry event. -Busboys and Poets have weekly events-  http://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/ Week 2: Write a Poem that encourages you or someone you love Here are some places you can find poetry prompts- -Creative Writing Now - http://www.creative-writing-now.com/creative-writing-prompts.html -30 Writing Prompts for National Poetry Month- http://www.agodon.com/uploads/2/9/4/3/2943768/writing_prompts_by_kelli_russell_agodon.pdf Week 3: Read a new poem -Busboys and Poets on 14th and V has a great bookstore full of great poetry. -The Poetry Foundation has a great repository of poetry you can access for free. Week 4: Read about a poet you are unfamiliar with - Poetry.org has a plethora of information on various poets - http://famouspoetsandpoems.com also has a lot of information on poets and poems Week 5: Share a poem There are many forums you can use to share your work or important works of othe...

As we take time to celebrate Women's history month, I want to take this opportunity to say thanks to all of my poetry she-roes for all of the incredible, inspiring and thought-provoking work they have put out into the world. Thank you Maya Angelou for Phenomenal Woman. Thank you Gwendolyn Brooks for The Mother . Thank you Sylvia Plath for  Winter Trees . Thank you Elizabeth Barrett Browning for How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Thank you Emily Dickinson for She rose to his requirement Thank you Nikki Giovanni for Mothers   Thank you Alice Walker for Be Nobody's Darling   Thank you Phillis Wheatley for On Virtue To all my fellow women writers, thank you for sharing this journey with me and your work with the world. Happy writing! SSS

Below is a list of resources for poets (database of contests, awards, literary magazines) Websites Poets and Writers -  www.pw.org Winning Writers - www.winningwriters.com Open Mics/Poetry Venues  (DC metro) Busboys and Poets -  http://www.busboysandpoets.com/poetry/poetry-programs

Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words. Robert Frost   Poetry is the rhythmical creation of beauty in words. Edgar Allan Poe   Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history. Plato   A poet is, before anything else, a person who is passionately in love with language. W. H. Auden   To see clearly is poetry, prophecy and religion all in one. John Ruskin