Undeniably Me: A National Poetry Month Reflection on Voice, Healing, and Becoming!

As National Poetry Month comes to a close, I find myself reflecting not just on poetry as an art form, but on my personal journey with it. What started as scattered thoughts and emotions written in notebooks at 16 years old has now become something tangible, something real: my very first self-published poetry collection, Undeniably Me.

Holding the first physical copy in my hands was a moment I will never forget. It brought tears to my eyes, tears of joy, pride, and disbelief. Every poem, every page, every detail was a labor of love. I didn’t just write this book; I created a physical version of my heart. I hand-drew the cover and illustrations myself, pouring intention into every visual element to match the emotional depth of the words. You can purchase on Amazon here.

And this month, I did something else that felt just as transformative: I performed my poetry out loud for the first time at Timucua Arts Foundation. Standing on that stage, sharing my voice in a room full of people, I felt every version of myself that had ever written those poems. You can watch that performance on YouTube and experience that moment with me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTqTNW3wla4

Poetry has always had a unique power to capture emotions, tell stories, and inspire change. Undeniably Me is my offering to that tradition, a collection that explores self-worth, resilience, femininity, and radical self-acceptance. It is more than just a book of poems; it is a journey. One that honors the Black female experience while encouraging every woman to embrace her own light.

Through six transformative sections and original artwork, I invite readers to reflect, heal, and grow.

Crowned in Confidence: Exploring Self-Worth and Femininity

The first section of Undeniably Me sets the tone by celebrating self-worth and femininity. I wrote these poems from a place of honesty and vulnerability, hoping to remind readers of their inherent value.

So often, the world tries to define us before we get the chance to define ourselves. These poems challenge that. They are about owning who you are, fully and unapologetically. The artwork in this section mirrors that message: soft, yet bold. Gentle, yet undeniable.

Strength in Softness: Finding Power in Love and Tenderness

We’re often taught that strength looks like hardness. But this section redefines that narrative.

Here, I explore how love, tenderness, and vulnerability are not weaknesses, they are power. There is courage in feeling deeply. There is strength in choosing compassion. The imagery throughout this section reflects that softness, natural elements that symbolize growth, healing, and emotional depth.

Through the Fire: Navigating Loss, Grief, and Trauma

This section is one of the most personal.

It speaks to pain, loss, and the invisible weight of trauma, but also to survival. To healing. To becoming. These poems were not easy to write, but they were necessary.

The artwork takes on darker tones, representing struggle, but also transformation. Because even in fire, there is rebirth.

Fearless in Flight: Embracing Liberation and Empowerment

There comes a moment when healing turns into action, when you decide to break free.

This section is about liberation. About releasing fear, self-doubt, and limitations placed on you by others or even by yourself. The symbolism of flight runs throughout these poems, representing freedom, courage, and expansion.

Rooted in Resilience: Reclaiming Heritage, Identity, and Social Justice

This part of the collection grounds everything in identity and truth.

I honor my heritage, my voice, and the collective strength of community. These poems reflect on social justice, history, and the resilience that lives within us. Growth is not just personal, it’s also cultural, generational, and communal.

In Bloom: Stepping into Radical Self-Acceptance and Joy

After everything, after the healing, the breaking, the rebuilding, comes blooming.

This final section is about joy. Real, grounded, intentional joy. The kind that comes from accepting yourself fully. The artwork here reflects that transformation, vibrant, alive, and full of color.

A Closing Reflection

Undeniably Me is more than a poetry collection. It is a reflection of years of growth, healing, and becoming. From writing my first poems as a teenager, to self-publishing, to holding my book for the first time, to performing my words out loud, this journey has been deeply personal and incredibly fulfilling.

If there’s anything I hope readers take away from this collection, it’s this: your voice matters. Your story matters. And there is power in owning who you are, fully and unapologetically.

As National Poetry Month ends, I’m not closing a chapter, I’m stepping into a new one.

And I’m just getting started.