Poetic Postcards

Jaws dropped around the world on January 20th, as Amanda Gorman recited “The Hill We Climb” for the Inauguration. In the weeks since, she has simultaneously stepped graciously into the spotlight while making the art form feel accessible to the rest of us.

If you’re interested to try your hand at poetry - on your postcards or elsewhere - Ms Gorman offers a few tips on The Write the World Blog:

• Write and revise, and keep plugging away. "Being a good writer isn't necessarily about natural skill; it's about practice and perseverance," she says. She blocks time to write each day, even if it’s just the alphabet.

• The rhythm and lyricism of music can be inspiring, so turn on your favorite songs while you write. She prefers instrumentals and has different playlists ready for different types of poems.

• Your environment affects your creativity. She loves working in natural light.

• Be bold and be fully yourself! “There is no such thing as an aspiring writer; there are just writers.”

Michelle Obama calls Amanda Gorman “a prodigy - a poet who set the country on fire.” She got there by coaching herself throughout her career: “In everything you write, write something that is brave enough to be hopeful. In everything that you write, write something that is larger than yourself.”

You’re a writer. You’re a poet. Like our nation, you may be “simply unfinished.” So find a comfy seat by a sunny window, turn up the tunes, and let it flow.

---