NPR's "I'm Really Into" Submission: Poetry

Below is my submission to NPR's "I'm Really Into" series. Even if my responses are not accepted by NPR, I still hope to share them, or at least document it somewhere.

What hobby or interest are you really into?

Writing poetry.

When did you get into it? What made you start or got you hooked?

I'd always written down "thoughts" I've had on my phone, but I never really considered it to be poetry. Sometimes I would wake in the middle of the night to write down a "thought" that was swirling inside my brain, it just couldn't wait until the next day. I experience a lot of anxiety, especially when I was in college (I graduated this year), so much of what I wrote down were things I was trying to tell myself—a form of self-soothing I guess you could say. It wasn't until I started talking to my friend, who is a fellow poet, about writing (I was in a creative nonfiction class at the time). I read a few of his poems and while I didn't understand them, I genuinely enjoyed the fact that he was able to express himself through his writing, regardless of whether anyone understood. This past April, I started to write what I consider poetry (not just random thoughts at 2 a.m.). I struggled to get my thoughts in order when I tried to write a poem. However, I decided to publish them on my blog anyways. From June to July, I studied abroad in South Africa for journalism. Although journalism wasn't my main focus (it should have been though) as I had become consumed in writing one poem a day while in South Africa. I wrote these poems and posted them on my close friends story on Instagram not really thinking much about it. It wasn't until I experienced a little bit of tribulation within my social life when I decided to start an Instagram account and post my poems. Ever since then, I've been posting one poem (nearly) everyday.

What makes it special and meaningful to you?

Like most people, I have a love-hate relationship with social media (and being addicted to it and all that), but my poetry account has helped me find joy in reading poetry as well as seeking out new experiences so that I have more things to write about. I find that I'm constantly thinking about writing poetry and this has helped me notice every single thing in my life—from the flowers in my garden to my turtle splashing in her tank. Poetry doesn't have the best reputation among people because I think they're scared of the feelings that poems often evoke, like love, loneliness, greed, etc. However, poetry can also be nonsensical and fun and as long as it leaves the reader feeling something then it's poetry! I also just love sharing my words and stories and wisdom with others because I'm not the greatest at speaking to people, but I'm really good (at least I think) at gathering my thoughts into words that others can read at their own pace. 

Why should other people give it a shot?

I think poetry is a bit like running (which I also really enjoy, but one thing at a time). To me, running is an act of solitude and a form of rawness. It's just you and the road, pounding the pavement one foot at a time to get somewhere, away from where you started. Similarly, poetry is sort of like that. When you're writing poetry, it's just you and the page (or the screen, or the phone. Wherever you prefer to pen you poetry is up to you). It requires you to focus on what you're feeling and what's around you, much like running. I've noticed that humans love escaping reality, whether that be through social media or television or working. However, poetry, like running, grounds you in the moment and forces you to turn your attention inward. I've tried meditation and I've indulged in the words of the Bible, but nothing comes close to the feeling of solace and peace when I sit down to write down a poem. I think other people should give it a shot because poetry is accessible and it's also easy! Everything is poetry but it's about where you write it from that matters.