Poetry
"To Rain," published in 2024, and "Gradually," published in 2025, speak of duality in daily life. How can someone feel joy even amidst deep loneliness? How can something be beautiful even as it dies?
Written in 2023 (To Rain) and 2024 (Gradually), Published in the Ivy Leaves Journal 2024 (To Rain) and 2025 (Gradually) Volumes.
Authorial Growth
1
Dualities
In both "To Rain" and "Gradually," I try and process two large ideas at once. In "To Rain," there's a type of joy that gets all the way into your heart, and there's a joy that just sits on top, burning a little bit, but there nonetheless. That's the joy that comes amidst pain. The laughter of rain while it soaks up your shoes. "Gradually" discusses life and death, presence and absence, and, most importantly, the ache of the space inbetween.
2
Rhythm
"To Rain" was initially written for a poetry class, and it took a bit of workshopping to get the rhythm into the strict Shakespearean sonnet format my professor wanted. And, if I'm being honest, proper scansion on "To Rain" would reveal that it still isn't, in the perfect sense, a Shakespearean sonnet. "Gradually" meets all the rhythm requirements of a haiku, but haikus are usually about nature, which these haikus lack.
3
Volta
In a Shakespearean sonnet, the volta, or shift, appears between the third stanza and the final couplet. The shift in "To Rain" is less of a shift and more of a steady realization; a formality amidst the emotion. Is this shift a true volta? I'm not sure, but the couplet's tone is slightly different than the rest of the poem, and my novice self considered that shift enough.
Writing Spot Highlight
Scändi Tiny Coffee
301 Simply Less Circle, Greer, SC
A tiny coffee spot surrounded by a tiny home community, Scändi is the beautiful hidden diamond of Greer. It's a popular place with students of nearby North Greenville University, and with multiple indoor and outdoor seating options, it's easy to see why. Sit on a net chair, lounge on a couch by the fireplace inside, or make use of the beautiful patio. Or, if you're the adventurous type, have a swing on the swingset by the parking lot after you finish your coffee. It closes at 4pm daily and is closed on Sundays, so plan accordingly and get out early if you want to spend a good chunk of your day with a beautiful community and a delectable coffee. Check out their Instagram below:
