This blog was written by mentee Genesis Cespedes Mora who was inspired by poet and Girls Write Now mentee alum Brittany Barker’s Craft Talk at our workshop The Economy of Words:Poetry and Advertising.
At the November Poetry Workshop, I had the privilege to hear the voice of one of us. Although she is further along in her path than we are, she started right where we are now.
When mentee alum Brittany Barker read her thoughts and feelings to us, I felt a strong connection to the way she used the power of her voice to transmit her message in the form of a poem. Without even knowing her I could feel the strength of her feelings.
At first, I noticed she was reciting her poems very quickly and I thought she might be trying to get it over with so she could leave and go back to her Netflix shows or her bed. But, after listening to the words and seeing her passion, I realized the speed of her words mirrored the feeling of letting sour emotions out of you—brusquely, aggressively, and with passion. I’m not sure why, but it feels like that’s the right way to do it. That’s the best way I can explain it.
Everybody has different methods when it comes to sharing their work, especially when the pieces are on another level of intimacy or are quite challenging, because they can strip you with one finger snap. But Brittany said that before sharing her writing she thinks about how it will help the listeners, what impact it could possibly have on each one of the eyes looking and ears listening.
Sometimes, sharing a piece of writing can change a person’s life. It can change the way an individual thinks about themselves, others, or even the world. You may be thinking, “But only one person? It’s not worth it!” I guess we’ll never know if it’s worth it unless we share our voices and use that power to make a change, to make a difference.