Poetically Powered Newsletter, February, Let’s Talk About Love And All The In-Between Things
Let’s Talk About Love And All The In-Between Things
Poetically Powered Newsletter, February, Why Does It Hurt Like This? • Buttondown
Welcome to Poetically Powered Newsletter! I am so grateful for you to want my words in your mailbox. TW: sexual assault and correlations The night is closing…
Welcome to Poetically Powered Newsletter! I am so grateful for you to want my words in your mailbox.
You may be like me and be like “fuck this love shit.” Even when I was in the relationship before the love I got I was like this. You may be like hey, this holiday is made for consumption, which, isn’t wrong. But, I wanted to touch on Love poems and the other side of them, erotic and sensual poems.
It’s hard for me to get poets to come for Erotica workshops. I had a few for my first and the last didn’t really work I think with the timing of the week I had it, but we’re okay with that. If you keep make the spaces just have them open and be aware when people need to come to you for your spaces they will. And if they don’t, then take that as a day to reclaim some things for yourself. That day I helped out a friend on Friday and stayed for her workshop on breakups. I processed some things I never wrote about and realize if I am holding a workshop it’s good for my energy to basically maintain and save myself for teaching.
I seem like an extrovert, but this is a big lie people try to tell themselves about me. I am not extroverted, I am introverted. I have a battery and it drains very quick. I’m sensitive to stimuli and get overwhelmed easy, but never show it.
I wrote some poems about love this week that really just touch on different pulses of it. Touches on not being loved right with that last relationship I mentioned. Touches on being loved right with the love I got. I had a poet say that I wrote a love poem! In a workshop and I was like yes, I actually do a lot of love but especially sensual and erotic poetry. That’s my jam and butter and bread is sensual poetry. But, what I perform is rarely love poems and I kind of save them and keep them tucked up. They’re just as valid as my mental health poems that I readily share.
This is to tell you what I’m telling myself. Love poems are just as essential as all the other poems. Erotica/erotic/sensual poems are just as valid as others. Touching into these things takes immense vulnerability. And, if you’re trying to write them I see you doing beautiful shit and touching different pulses of poetry to explore and expand yourself.
I said this in a poem, but I am more than the attacks I’ve survived. I am more than the pain that has arrived. I am more than this hurt.
Some information on my workshops and projects:
I have two workshops with them on Friday and Saturday for a safe space for survivors workshops, February 18th & 19th. These workshops are called “Surviving Speaks Poetry Part I and Part II.” You can be a non-writer and just come to be in a group. You can write if you want, or write later if it comes to you.
A great question my friend Kimberly Shaw asked was that if you don’t participate in Part I can you be a part of Part II? Absolutely. What ties them together is the topic but you can be a part of one without the other and still get the full benefit of the class.
Besides that, you can watch me with the Worldwide Poetry League with WAN Poetry on February 28th at 8 pm CST, and that is virtual.
Catalysts is back! We are doing Tuesdays instead of Thursdays at 6pm CST. First day is tomorrow, February 15th. Second day is this Sunday, Feruary 20th, I have a class in the afternoon. Last class for February is Tuesday 22nd at 6pm. I’m thinking probably a workshop for the first week of March as well, Sign up is: https://sarahbellummental.com/poeticworkshops/
The March shop is live! Ah! https://sarahbellummental.com/merch/ I’m so jazzed and also nervous? Here’s the link. I love the poems turned into shirts. We’ll be having more. I offer too—just the beginning. Also, my logo image that Shane Mainer made for me is one of the creators of Guerilla Poets.
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*What I’m Reading: Magical Bargain between The Body Keeps The Score and Self Compassion.
*What I’m listening to Deep Green, Marika Hackman
*What I’m getting ready for slams and memorizing poems to perform at the best I possibly can.
*What I’m writing: Some love poems from a workshop
*What’s haunting me: All the tries it took to arrive at love and all the hope it is to be here
To all those who hear me, thank you. To all those struggling with kindness or self-compassion for yourself, I see you, I am you, but I know you’re magnificent. Be kind always to your mind.