SBM Poetically Powered Newsletter, Pride Celebrations And A Workshop Of Connecting Inspiration
Poetically Powered Newsletter, Pride Celebrations And A Workshop Of Connecting Inspiration
Welcome to Poetically Powered Newsletter! I am so grateful for you to want my words in your mailbox.
I was recently forced to completely stop moving. The body can have a magnificent time telling you what to do when you don’t listen to it. I had been going full tilt ever day, hiking 5 miles almost seven days out of the week, projects happening, a new freelance job that will be manifesting soon and that I know I will have to be firm about my “no” to what I don’t have the capacity to do.
I’ve gotten very good at saying “no” over the years. It took about 3 jobs a few years back and having about every day of the week taken. So, when a job asked if “I could come in for them” I would very easily reply, “no.” It used to be that I was that person someone could guarantee I would say yes to coming in for extra shifts. I’d cover my co-workers. I’d come in at the last second, and guilt, would be part of my constant saying “yes” to taking on more hours. The other reason was that I could never make enough money. This obsession with making more and my limits not really being reached until my body shuts down was a very dangerous way to live. I’d keep overexerting myself until I’d get pretty severely sick, and then I’d be weeks out because my body would shut itself down. No rhyme, no reason for the sickness but I’d be unable to walk, move, or even stand. I’ve learned over the years my body is not a machine and if I don’t listen to it it will make me incapable of moving.
About three Saturdays ago I was a part of a Pride project with Write About Now Poetry. We had a Pride book fair and Open Mic June 1st to celebrate Pride this year and I was asked to be a part of a cypher. I have literally dreamed about being a part of their cyphers for years. It was a dream come true, but I’ve been having problems dropping poems when I’m in Houston, Oddly, or maybe not oddly enough, when I’m out of state performing poetry I haven’t dropped a poem. Or, say, when I perform outside of Houston, like when I did San Antonio recently, I didn’t drop any. I was afraid of this happening, so I studied my poems meticulously leading up to the cypher.
I dropped my poem once in the cypher. I couldn’t retrieve it, I officially lost it, and one of the poets had me repeat the lines before and after. I walked around, re-engaged with it, and the second time I got through it without dropping that part. It was my poem “Greedy Little Bisexual” that I love because it basically puts in a poem my experiences being the sexuality as I am.
Talking about Pride, as another part of me no one knows I will be a part of Rock N Roll Revue “Big Gay Revue” Friday, June 17th, in Houston at 9:30pm. My name will be “Viper” which is my dancing name. My teacher and I just went over my routine yesterday and I am excited to practice, practice it and muscle memorize it for the event. I am so excited about premiering as a Burlesque Dancer, I love the community and it is one of the most incredible communities of people, of women, I’ve ever seen. So, I’m honored to Debut and with such an incredible Burlesque show that I’ve adored since I first started going.
The Pride fair came and went and it was wonderful. I’ve never felt so much community and never been, honestly, a part of the Queer community. I’ve kept my gayness secret for most of my life. I did two poems for that as I was a featured poet with the other amazing poets that performed with me for the Cypher. It was so amazing to see them hit that stage and have an audience behind their words besides just us screaming and clapping for each other. To hear the whole audience reacting to them just was an amazing experience. I sold books, which makes me very happy because I mainly am able to sell my poetry books at these events. Where someone can hear my words and decide they want to read more of what my head does with poetry. The Pride Book Fair and Open Mic goes down as one of my most favorite poetry events I’ve ever been a part of, that night was fucking magical. But, everything with my Houston based Write About Now is a huge community where everyone, anyone, is accepted at the mic and celebrated.
Talking about WAN it is finally here, my Write About Now Academy “Tapping Into Your Mental Poetic Highway” with me and how I hope this class will help others tap into their inspiration for poetry. It’s generative, we definitely get into writing as soon as the class opens up. I want to spend more time writing and less time me talking about inspiration because my inspiration does not mean yours works the same. But, I feel like inspiration happens when we live with, when we move, when we see the beauty of the world around us.
Some heads up to some projects!
The Wan Academy is finally here and this is the link to sign up! https://sarahbellummental.com/buy-wan-academy-connect-with-your-mental-highway-w-sbm/ if you’re a WAN member you get in free for this class and every other they host every week for $4.99 — it’s an amazing steal of a deal
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.
I have a Patreon! It starts at $1 and has homemade, handmade, cards and goodies, full length poems, prompts, and the highest tier gets you into Poetic Catalysts once a month! I’ll be having some of the prompts for my class on my Patreon as well as an option you can tap into: https://www.patreon.com/sarahmentalpoet
*What I’m Reading: Time Bargain — it’s fiction, and not a poetry book, but currently in the good parts.
What I’m listening to Arsonists Lullaby, Hozier, this is my song for my Burlesque act this June
What I’m getting ready for my WAN Academy workshop tonight, at 6pm CST.
*What I’m writing: I haven’t been writing as much since May. The last pieces were a part of Undercurrent last Friday.
*What’s haunting me: How many times did I not slow down?
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.