As a reminder to myself and others who write, I decided to post one of my favorite graphics below. Aside from reading a lot to help yourself become a better writer, it’s helpful to remember that one also becomes a better writer by being intentional about making time to write. Whatever your craft is, just practice, practice, practice…
in 5th grade you opened up
a whole new world to me
a world of poetry
a world of reading and writing
of creating
creating
a life-long love affair
that can never be broken
a world I’ve come to know
in more ways than I can count
a world of vibrant anthologies
and communal spaces
a world of greatness
of Phyllis Wheatley and Edgar Allen Poe
of Sonia Sanchez and Langston Hughes
of Emily Dickinson and Pablo Neruda
of Bassey Ikpi and Saul Williams
a world where flying
is the norm
where stories
take many forms
where truth is painted
in the seams
of dark blue jeans
and where secrets
are tucked away neatly
behind the ears
a world of refuge
for the lost and broken
a world of nourishment
for the hungry and thirsty
a world of ecstasy
for the lovers and free-spirited
a world of abundance
for the wordsmiths and hopefuls
a world for the writers
and those who read
a world for the living
and the dead
a world for the histories and herstories
of our freedom fighters
a world of many seasons
moons and stars
a world of haikus
and sonnets
of metaphors and similes
of abstractness and simplicity
a world where written word
and spoken word collide
where sweet tempos and melodies
are laced with the black gold
of the past, the present and the future
a world of mangoes and plantains
of drumming and dancing
a world of many tongues
where Kreyòl, Yoruba, Wolof,
English, Spanish, French
are claimed and re-defined
illuminating the pages they stand on
and stirring the hearts and minds
of those they encounter
a world that has given me life
when I needed it most
a world I’ve come to know
as home.
by Nadia Alexis
when you touch me
it’s electrifying.
sending currents
of love and lust
up my spine
through my heart
up to my head
and back down
to my arms and legs
resting at my feet
only for a moment
and back up again.
closed eyes
open arms
weak legs
strong heart
warm sensations
taking over me
and lifting me up
higher and higher
over and over again.
infinite.
by Nadia Alexis
