“ I am a Woman Rising ” " Encounters "
It is best to start at the beginning , but I will start at the end and trace a path backwards for you towards the beginning . My first book of poems was published on December 31 , 2020 . It was many years in the making , starting when I was ten years old and dreamt of being a full-fledged writer . I am not there yet . Cocooning , blooming and blossoming , I am a woman rising .
Introduction
My name is Nadine Thompson . I also add my middle initial “ K ” for Karen as my first and last name combination is quite popular in North America . I was born in a small community in Jamaica . My parents Videl and Sydney Thompson ( Ms . Rema , Maas Sydney ) connected their ways to the land : raising animals , planting crops , selling their produce and generally interacting with the natural rhythm of life . I enjoyed typical countrystyled life growing up with my three sisters , Ann , Judy and Chrissie .
My early schooling and socialization took place at the Ritchies Primary School in Clarendon , Jamaica . I spent my high school years at Knox High School and my sixth form years at Knox Community College . I later went on to the University of the West Indies where I pursued a BA in Applied Linguistics . Later I joined the Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge where I completed my MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL .
I was called to be a teacher . I taught Spanish and English Literature to high school students in Jamaica . I started my journey as an ESL / EFL teacher in 2006 when I went to Japan on the JET programme . I am presently living and working in China where I am a PYP ( Primary Years Programme ) Teacher as part of the IBO ( International Baccalaureate Organization ).
Writing poetry is my hobby and my passion . It is how I de-stress and connect with the world . I grew up in the Christian faith , and it had a powerful effect on my life when I was growing up and is still a part of me today . I am a member of the Missionary Church Association in Jamaica , similar to the Baptist church .
Seeing the word “ encounters ”, people might quickly think of sexual encounters , but that is not what this book is about . Encounters , in this instance , refer to the interaction between people and places , people and emotional connections . Encounters with love and loss and spirituality / positivity .
My book is divided into four sections that deal with one aspect of encounters . In the section “ Encounters with Places ”, the poems are influenced by living in Jamaica , Japan , China , Cambridge and places I have visited . Another section that I want to mention is , “ Encounters with positive light ”. There are only four poems here , celebrating new beginnings in “ First of June ” and “ I am a woman rising ”, which I will discuss in more details .
“ Encounters with love and loss ” has poems about falling in love and experiencing hurt because of love . “ Encounters with a myriad of feelings ” chronicles different types of feelings that we encounter in navigating a transient life especially those living away from their home country . To sum it up , “ Encounters , in poetic form , is about journeys , transience , and navigating love in a transient space .
I am a Woman Rising
I am a woman rising , Rising from disappointment , Rising from loss , Rising from despair , Rising from unbelief , Rising from emptiness , Rising from negativity , Rising from fear , I am a woman rising up !
I am a woman accepting blessings , I am a woman finding happiness , I am a woman experiencing hope , I am a woman filled with abundance , I am a woman abounding in positive light ,
I am a woman rising higher and higher !
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