Windlight Magazine-March 2016 Issue Volume 2, Issue 3 | Page 137

exclaimed, "I was forced into it!" She went on to tell me that in the online poetry hub one of her peers performed a bad improv only to show her that it was nothing to be afraid of. He was the best poet in the room. He made himself the horrible example that she lived with in her head. He sacrificed himself, totally making a fool of himself only to get into a private IM with her saying, "Is THAT what you are so damn afraid of??" She says that because of him showing her that it was not the end of the world, she took on improv and has been doing it since. thing. Serene wanted to understand her, so she did an improv in which she saw things through the girls eyes. She says she still cant totally understand it, but the words flowed about the topic and they came from a place of love and empathy. The girl told Serene that the words meant something to her and they have been very close every since then. "Poetry is a state of being to me " she explained to me. And, when I asked her who are the famous poets that inspired her and why. She said, "Alfred Noyes, he wrote The Highwayman. I suppose that I posed the question to her; What was the first non nursery rhyme advice would you give the budding poem I ever heard and I like that it poet, the budding improv poet? told a story. I also love the she retorted, "Just do it! Do not romantic poets; Shelly, Byron, worry about if it is right or wrong Keats and of course, Poe. Maya or good or bad; you can edit later. Angelou, now that is an amazing Some of mine just end up in the woman!" trash and that's okay. If you can Not knowing how she would get one idea, one phrase, one respond to the next question. I image, you are farther along than was peaked in interest before I you were before. To me, its almost gave it to her. I swallowed deeply a prayer, a meditation, and a way and sat up with more intent when for me to learn and I asked, "How would you begin a communicate." poem?" She began an improv right She told me a story about a young in the middle of the interview! girl who was a cutter. Serene could [we sit we talk she asks I answer not fathom why this girl did such a 137