A.K. is a local writer and a dear family member of mine...these are her own words:
I was born and raised in Central Virginia. I am a thirty-something educator who is passionate about the arts, young people, self-exploration, and the unique intersections between the three. I started appreciating the art of poetry in high school, when I was first introduced to Gwendolyn Brooks and Nikki Giovanni through class assignments. Years of foraging through the Harlem Renaissance poets, Maya Angelou, Sonia Sanchez and the Last Poets lead to a deeper discovery of the power of the voice in poetic form. Moving into my college years, I fell in love with spoken word poetry through exposure to artists such as Taalam Acey, Saul Williams, Stacey Ann Chin, and Bassey Ikpe. I consider myself an ever-burgeoning writer who seeks opportunities for other potential writers to identify and celebrate their own voices in this world.
Joy
maybe Joy is
not loud and busy
like the party you'd imagine her to be
perhaps
Joy is stillness in chaos
calm when the world expects uproar
peace that exceeds logic
unspoken strength
could it be?
that Joy is an energy like
sunlight
never announcing herself
just appearing casually
on the horizon
growing in the quiet of morning
glowing brighter with patience, practiced
progress
without pretense or (much) conversation
without having to persuade anyone of her presence
Joy just is
made for basking at midday
taking full advantage of her warm light
growing there
learning the light in her eyes
savoring her until dusk
remembering her face at cool midnight
knowing
that even when she appears to have run out
she will rise
and present herself again
undeniably
just wait
Interpretation
A quote from the writer,
"I would encourage readers to think about the meaning of joy for themselves; this poem reminds us to look for real joy, even in the quieter moments."
Please wait...