SPRING FEATURED POET
- Apr 30
- 8 min read
Welcome to the 13th Wolf Twin Review!
Introducing: Kemi Browning . . . free verse poet, mobile photographer, softball slugger, horror movie buff, and pharmacy tech.
Sweetly Treated
Dreamed of Candy Land
Licorice trees and cream skies
Marshmallow kittens
Hidden in tall, pretzel grass
A yummy, gumdrop coma
No Wire Hangers
I'd always dreamt
Of days filled with support, peace
But t'wasn't my childhood
Screaming, chaos, pain and strife
Conditional love only
Sky Writing
Gazed upon vastness
Painful memories erased
Leaving space for hope
Vibrant stars and planets weave
Mandalas of pure promise
After Dark
A deadly embrace
Redolent of rotting flesh
Vampiric lovers
Prairie Style
Frank Lloyd Wright’s playground
Sleek designs all vastly praised
Swank flights of fancy
Replaced Brutalist grinding
For Falling Water music
Featured Poet Interview:
1. Your writing journey only began recently, which makes the poetry you’re creating even more impressive. Please, tell us about your poetic beginning.
I am a pharmacy technician by trade and it’s an extremely high stress, fast-paced career. I worked in the busiest store in the US and the demands become more intense and onerous almost by the day. Back in June of last year, between work and caring for my elderly father (who has dementia), I was encountering other problems too. I’d had a wreck that totaled my car and the replacement was draining my savings. There were some health issues and a recent breakup, so just a lot going on. In the midst of all that, after a particularly harrowing week, I had a nervous breakdown.
Long story short, I ended up in a psychiatric hospital that was so negligent that it made my situation a million times worse. And from there, I went into therapy for CPTSD and have been attempting to find ways to deal with my myriad difficulties. I pivoted to Bluesky along the way (right after the 2016 election when I could no longer stomach other social media platforms) and I loved the creative outlet. Read a few poems here and there that spoke to me, and it made me wonder if trying to write might help me process things. I started from there, during this time that I’m off from work.
2. How has poetry helped you heal?
So much, I feel like I can’t say out loud directly, so this is my outlet, my mouthpiece and my therapist when I’m not actually in an office. For example, my CPTSD began with an abusive childhood and it pains me that, in my mid-fifties, this is still affecting me negatively. A lot of what I write about stems from that and allows me to find some measure of closure. In one instance, I thought I’d lost a dear family member during this time, as mental health struggles are difficult for her. Putting my feelings into a poem gave me the freedom to work through my heartbreak and confusion without confronting her, which in turn, let our relationship breathe until I was in a better place emotionally. I redirect all these aches into positivity, even when the subject matter is deep.
3. Daily writing prompts on social media are motivating writers to venture out of their comfort zones, support one another, and write more frequently. Have they positively affected your poetry?
Prompts are my muse. I jot down ideas of what I’d like to explore and eventually, a prompt will come my way to inspire me. I follow probably ten different pages and profiles each day, and I map out what’s available. From there, I decide if any fit my themes. If so, I try to work from those daily lists to create where I’d like the poem to go. I feel trying to incorporate the prompts has really sparked my creativity to see words in various lights instead of just one way only. And that’s all helped me feel a bit more connected again, as others interact with what I write, and by fostering a purpose. Not being a functioning or contributing member of society adds a sense of being unmoored and alone. I’ve found a wonderful community through poetry and photography that I wouldn’t have otherwise while I’m stuck in my house, constantly doing mental health homework. I’d even go so far as to say it’s been my saving grace and prompts are the biggest portion of that. I’m so grateful for them.
4. How has the community you’ve met on BlueSky influenced your writing?
It’s been amazing to see how unbelievably talented everyone is. I feel they are light years ahead of me, especially when it comes to more traditional poetry. Since I cannot rhyme well enough to save my life, I often feel like an interloper, an imposter on the scene. But everyone has been so nurturing, kind, helpful and friendly, that overrides my insecurities. I don’t have much experience outside of Bluesky (I tried one other app, Poetizer, and it took me right back to being the weird kid in junior high at the wrong lunch table), but I really don’t feel I could find a more warm or welcoming place. I love it there and they all inspire me constantly.
5. What does it feel like to share a new poem and see that it's well received?
It’s the best feeling in the world to know that something I wrote might help others. If there’s an actual comment or share, it makes my day. It’s such a joy to matter in this way, letting my hurt (or anger or frustration, whatever) speak to what someone else could be going through. That would make this nightmare, I’ve been enduring, worth it, like the proverbial phoenix rising from the ashes, but in a comical way.
6. Before poetry, did you have other creative outlets?
For the majority of my life, I played softball. Then my husband became ill, and I pivoted to a full-time caregiver. As he got sicker, there was no time available to do anything but tend to what he needed. But maybe a year or two before he died, we both had to find an outlet to relieve stress, and that’s when I discovered photography. This gave him the opportunity to get out of the house some and because I just used my phone, it was simple to do, and easy to keep up with. That lasted for perhaps four years total, but once he passed, I became way too busy building a career. Honestly, I had forgotten about photography, until one friend mentioned the cost of having photos done, last minute, by an amateur photographer. I offered to do them for free. That was in November, so I started again. Someday, I hope to have a legitimate business, but until I learn to use a proper camera, I’m just enjoying shooting things that interest me when my agoraphobia isn’t in full swing.
7. When you are photographing, do you feel the same way you do when writing?
I feel very creative, but in a different way. In poetry, there are certain parameters that I want to hit. I typically make them as flexible as possible anyway, but I do respect syllable counts and overarching themes if that’s requested. But in photography, it’s even freer. Just me and spotting something that piques my curiosity, so that I can present a subject in a new light. I also love that often I can take a picture, edit it one way and post it. Then later, take the same base photo and edit it completely differently for a whole new experience. So, like having two children, they both have unique qualities that I cherish.
8. Do you prefer to write digitally or with pen and paper?
I keep up with my poetry digitally. I tried pen and paper, but felt like I was losing the thread amongst a sea of words, ideas, prompts, and notations. I still have that on my phone, of course, but it seems more organized, as I can switch much more easily between organized apps than through lots of my chaotic, loose-leaf papers. They end up worn and falling apart, and it results in me being flustered. Lord knows I try to avoid the latter as much as possible.
9. Your poetic subjects are diverse. Like so many other poets, your themes often come from life experiences and struggles. What inspires you the most? Or do you find that your focus changes daily?
Recurrent themes will probably always infuse my work (like dealing with my mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and being bipolar) and traumas from earlier (an abusive mother and religion), but I also truly like to let the prompts lead where they may. When I map them out each day, I read them over to see if any patterns emerge. From there, I hope to craft a story around what I see, feel, think or have an idea about.
For example, here’s a small, upcoming collection of prompts:
Colt
Clear sky
Waft
Smoke
Colorless world
Of course, this is an incomplete list and once I get all from that day, I have a better vision of where I’ll go. In this case, if I just went off these, I might write about a horse running toward a cabin, whose inhabitants are making dinner over a fire. Or there could be a dystopian vision of robots battling all the grayness in the world and the smoke that rises from burning everything to the ground. Just depends.
10. What advice would you give someone who has never written poetry before, but wants to try?
Absolutely give it a shot! It doesn’t matter if it’s pretty, rhymes, meets any requirements, is too repetitive or emotional, or pretty much anything. Break all the rules and think as far outside the box as you wish. There’s no right or wrong to one’s self-expression. You could be the next E. E. Cummings! But most importantly, you’ll be doing yourself a huge service by sharing your thoughts with the world. We need as much light (some as a straightforward positive force, others as shining into the darkness and keeping it in check) as possible these days. And remember, there is no “wrong” in poetry and you’re certainly not going to break the art itself, so try! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
11. We both share a favorite time of year: autumn. Do you have any big poetry writing or releasing plans for October?
I publish poems on my Patreon most every day, and I plan to ramp up on creepy and atmospheric themes. And hopefully, pay homage to some childhood favorite authors (like Ray Bradbury), movies (maybe Something Wicked This Way Comes) and activities (I live for haunted houses and dressing up).
12. If you were a tree, which would you be?
A Monkeypod. I like huge, stable trunks that almost touch the ground for easy climbing and their canopies are otherworldly. I’d love to photograph one.
To Kemi:
Thank you so much for submitting your poetry and being our Spring Featured Poet. We are delighted to follow your poetic journey and thrilled to say, "Welcome to the Wolf Pack!"
Dearest Readers:
Greetings, fellow poetry lovers. Thank you for your continued support of the literary arts! Subscribe and return to experience all our moonstruck poets. Owwwoooooo!
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