Finding Your Voice: A Writer's Journey Back to Poetry
The Power of Returning to Your Craft: Awill's Journey Back to Poetry
There's something profoundly inspiring about witnessing an artist's return to their craft after years away. In a recent Wine Down Wednesday interview, emerging poet Awill shared her remarkable journey back to poetry after a five-year hiatus, offering valuable insights for anyone who has ever stepped away from their creative passion.
Awill's story begins with a birthday dare from her sister last June. After casually mentioning she had started writing again, her sister challenged her to perform at Words Over Latte instead of giving a traditional birthday gift. This pivotal moment pushed Awill out of her comfort zone and into the world of performance poetry. "This is the first time I've ever performed my poetry for anyone else or even shared it really," she revealed during the interview. What makes her story particularly compelling is how a simple dare transformed a private practice into a public art form, demonstrating how sometimes the most significant creative breakthroughs require external motivation or accountability.
For those struggling with writer's block or creative stagnation, Awill offers practical wisdom gained from her own experience. Rather than pressuring herself to complete entire poems in one sitting, she embraced a more fragmented approach: "I would just take it in pieces, like as it came to me." This patience-centered method allowed her to collect poetic fragments while listening to music or throughout her day, eventually assembling these pieces into complete works. Her approach serves as a reminder that creativity often works in non-linear ways, and that honoring the natural rhythm of inspiration can yield more authentic results than forcing creative output.
Music plays a significant role in Awill's creative process and performance style. She pairs her poetry with carefully selected musical tracks, creating a multisensory experience for her audience. "I hope that you can connect with some part of it, even if it's just like you like the music that I pair my poetry with," she explained. This integration of different art forms not only enhances the emotional impact of her work but also reflects her personal love of music. Awill's musical approach to poetry performance demonstrates how artists can leverage multiple passions to create something truly distinctive and resonant.
Despite her growing confidence as a performer, Awill candidly admits to experiencing pre-performance anxiety: "I be scared, like shaking in my boots." Yet she pushes through this fear, driven by her desire to connect with audiences who "respect the mic." Her vulnerability reminds us that authentic artistic expression often requires embracing discomfort and that nervousness doesn't diminish the value of what we create—in fact, it often signals that we're sharing something deeply meaningful. Awill's courage in facing her performance anxiety offers encouragement to anyone hesitant to share their creative work with the world.
The interview concluded with Awill sharing an exclusive performance of her new poem "You Only Reap What You Sow," which explores themes of love, reciprocity, and personal growth. Through powerful lines like "I've healed. I'm better now, teaching others to love me better," she demonstrates how poetry can simultaneously serve as personal therapy and universal truth-telling. Her willingness to share previously unpublished work with the Wine Down Wednesday audience highlights her commitment to authentic connection through art, inviting listeners into her creative process rather than presenting only polished final products.
