Nia White | Staff Writer
Poetry is how the author describes their feelings on an intimate level. It is a way to present one’s innermost thoughts through written art. Poetry shares the stories of an author’s life with a new conclusion that may not have been previously known.
“My favorite part of poetry is the storytelling aspect,” HU junior Daisia Smith said.
This form of art can mean many things to different people. It can affect the audience in a way that is different from the author.
“I would describe my art as an experience,” Smith said. “Whoever is reading it, gets a small portion of my life.”
The experience of poetry as art also the emotional aspect the writer puts in their work. The subtle influences behind the words bring the meaning of the work together.
Poetry allows the writer to be creative and direct in their work while impacting others. Poetry allows the reader to understand the author even if only for a second, Smith explains.
HU junior Margaret Daramola describes her form of art as soft yet powerful.
“I had to write in a way that led to freedom from within, which led to my book “Pathway Through Survival,” Daramola said.
Personal expression in any art form is essential. However, in poetry, it can differ between spoken and written states. Written poetry is more often open to interpretation from the reader, which means careful selection of words is essential. Spoken poetry is sometimes easier to interpret and to emphasize words or phrases.
Poets often have different reasons for their style of writing. After writing her book and joining some speaking engagements, Daramola began writing for enjoyment but shifted to spoken word. Smith writes more for personal release of emotions.
“A lot of my poetry is for fun as well as my mental health, but I would love to get more serious with it and publish some books in the future,” Smith said. “I started writing poetry when I was 14 and I was dealing with depression and anxiety. My therapist thought it would be a good outlet.”
Style of writing and speaking is what attracts the reader and listener. While stylistic elements can be very different from each artist and even within their work, they help shape it.
Daramola employs both forms of poetry and influences both spoken and written poetry. Both Daramola and Smith have admired the works of Reyna Biddy and Nicki Giovanni, respectively.
The emotions surrounding poetry are what drive the art. Daramola describes her favorite part of poetry as going from the unknown into clarity. Writing allows her to come to terms with the reality of how things are.
The Hampton Script 