Finding Freedom in Poetry & Paper-Making

Today we have a guest on the blog! This is Meg Whelan, our current intern at Art Equals. She helps manage social media and facilitate events, but her time “on the job” is mostly spent learning new ways to foster creativity in herself and others. She’s a Northern Kentucky local who loves to write cool words, eat good food, and take really long walks.

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Until very recently, I was afraid to call myself a poet.

My name isn’t on any book covers. Hardly anyone reads my words. And I’m often quite judgemental of the things I write. (I don’t think I’m alone in this feeling!)

But, at the same time, for as long as I can remember, I have kept some kind of journal. I was so excited to learn the alphabet as a kid. I loved the act of covering a page in big penmanship or squirrelly strokes of paint. I had this sense that all the things I experienced, learned, loved, and disliked needed to be expressed somehow on paper. I have always been writing.

As I grew up and explored different languages and mediums, I found it difficult to document the harder, more complicated parts of life within the confines of my journal. I wanted to tell my stories according to the fragmented pieces I could remember – images, feelings, dialogue, receipts, etc.

Sorting these pieces out on the page became like making a scrapbook or collage. I didn’t need to connect them into a story form that had a clear beginning, middle, or end. The characters could be mysterious. Words could go sideways. Fonts could change. Words could rhyme or make rhythm. Soon, I realized that I was writing poems!

A poem is a liberating way to express yourself that is available to everyone. You don’t have to be able to recite Shakespearean sonnets or to remember haiku form in order to create your own poetry. The ingredients for a poem are simple: a deep breath, imagination, and honesty. You are allowed to call yourself a poet.

I have loved exploring my curiosity about poetry alongside all of the different creative practices that Charlotte cultivates at Art Equals. Recently, Charlotte taught me how to create gorgeous handmade paper using old recycled documents and a blender. She has experimented with a new poetic form – floating poetry – using hand selected words and water to generate fabulous new works.

You can learn how to make your own paper and floating poetry on Saturday, April 29 from 1:00-3:00pm at Redden Gardens in Covington, KY. We will be there with all of the supplies and information that you might need. Challenge yourself to get outside and explore your own creativity. You never know what might emerge…