All's Fair In Love & Poetry

I have kept this part of myself hidden for the majority of my life. I'm sure that ex boyfriends and friends would be shocked that I have progressed to such an extent as publishing a book.

For the longest time, I was embarrassed. I hid my minor in creative writing from my friends and classmates. I hid my poems and my journals and my notes app from everyone.

For the longest time, it was something that I only indulged in privately.

It was like my very own secret hobby. It was like I was living a double life, really.

Like, fuck, if only y'all knew the shit I write about behind closed doors.

It has been this huge, gaping wound on my psyche since I was about ten. I fell in love with reading at a very young age. I found myself mystified in my own captivation with the written word. I learned that it had the power to move.

It has the power to convince and sway. Poetry, even more so.

I, personally, believe in the power of writing in a diaristic way. I am a firm believer that everyone should engage in journaling. It is an ever-evolving practice for any given person-the ability to articulate. If one can find it in themselves to decide to hone this delicate and vital cerebral muscle, then I believe that they should do so.

It doesn't always have to be expressive. My work often isn't. I'm treating these blog posts as a sort of journal. I am well aware that it is likely that nobody will ever read this. I can share it to my social media, sure, but it's not a big deal. That's sort of how I feel about my book and poetry as a whole, honestly.

Poetry is niche enough, it's even more of a subjective ask to expect anyone to like my poetry. Some do. Some don't. Some will. Some won't.

It's not about exposure for me. In the sense that it is, it would only be for the sake of discussion. I want to know what my work inspires in any given person. It gives me incredible insight. It is also a very tender gift that I do not get the luxury of having very often. It's a joy to have anyone read my work, let alone be open to discussion about it.

If anyone ever has the curiosity about what I write and experience, then this would be a fabulous place for them to keep tabs on. That, and I suppose, my Instagram. I am in a fortunate position that my writing and reading are strictly hobby activities. I do not depend on them for my livelihood. I think that, if I did, then I would lose a lot of love for it. I fear that it would become a chore. I couldn't have the true intent of expression for expression's sake, which would defeat the whole purpose for me.

That being said, anyone is welcome here on my website. You can comment, share, whatever. I really do not care. If you feel any type of way from my work, do let me know.

I hope that, at the very least, it inspires writing of your own.

ON ANOTHER NOTE!

Sorry, I hate using caps like that. This is necessary, I promise.

I am going to this year's AWP Conference and Bookfair in Baltimore this year. I originally wanted to do the entirety of the conference, but my wanderlust got the better of me. I will only be doing the setup day and the first actual day of the conference. The rest of that time will be spent exploring the area.

In celebration of this monumental author milestone, I will be making the entire trip a literary adventure.

Stay tuned on that. I am actively planning it, but the itinerary is coming together a little clearer.

I am so full of joy, it is nauseating. I have so very much to be grateful for. I suppose that I will need to work on my own articulation to better put the feeling into words.

I am going to try to use this blog daily.

That is a huge step for me, in terms of my mental health and writing prowess.

Let's see how I do :) Peep the Poems tab for a couple of new entries!