Tag: poems

Yecheilyah’s 7th Annual Poetry Contest Spotlight: Deep Thought the Lyricist

Today, we are spotlighting the winners of our 2024 poetry contest!

Next is Arsenio Sorrell, better known in these poetic streets as Deep Thought the Lyricist!

I met Deep on Clubhouse back when we were in these COVID trenches, and after hearing him speak, I followed him and some other dope poets on Instagram.

About the Lyricist:

Known on his social media as Deep Thought The Lyricist, Arsenio has a popular following for his work. He is the 2-time Floetry Poetry Sensual Slam Champion, Purple Poetry Slam, Improv Poetry “24 Hour Prompt” Slam Finalist, and now, YAPC Finalist. He has also won The 2024 Golden Poet  Award’ for Poetic Excellence’, the ‘Resilience’ Award, and The 2024 Social Media Breakfast ‘Rising Star Award. 

As you can see, Arsenio is a productive and passionate poet, hosting Sensational Saturday as a member of the Illbejacy Poetry Club.

His winning poem, Hope Moon and Joyful Skies, came in second place for its profound use of poetic technique and imagery. You can watch the replay of our interview right now on Instagram under @yecheilyah where he also recites his poem.

Learn More About Why We Call Him Deep Thought by Diving into his Work at the Links Below:

IG: Deepthought_thelyricist

FB: Deep thought the lyricist 

Threads: Deepthought_thelyricist

Tik Tok: Deep thought the lyricist 

Link: www.Deepthoughtthelyricists.com

Stay glued for details on Yecheilyah’s 8th Annual Poetry Contest 2025, including this year’s theme!

Yecheilyah’s 7th Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2024

Yecheilyah’s 6th Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2023

Yecheilyah’s 5th Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2022

Yecheilyah’s 4th Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2021

Yecheilyah’s 3rd Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2019

Yecheilyah’s 2nd Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2018

Yecheilyah’s 1st Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2017

Why Self-Publishing Poetry is Different From Other Books

Publishing a poetry collection differs from publishing a novel or nonfiction book. One main reason is the editing; poets must pay special attention to this.

When looking for an editor for our poetry collections, we must ensure they know how poems work. Some poems, for example, are not intended to be grammatically correct. They might include lowercase letters where they would not normally be and play with conventions of spelling, layout, and typography.

An editor of poetry must be a critical reader and familiar with current trends in poetry publication. They must work closely with the poet to understand what is deliberate and what is not. A good editor will point out grammatical errors and ask if they are intentional—frequently, they will be, but it is a good editor’s job to ask.

Poetry editors must be willing to respect the intention of the poet. They must exercise restraint in those areas where they think a piece should be corrected when the poet did not intend it to be. It is also helpful to know whether the poem respects the conventions of the form or deviates deliberately. For instance, if there is a misstep in the rhyme scheme, it should be flagged in case the poet wants to adjust it.

In short, authors who self-publish poetry must find editors who are knowledgeable about how poems work. It would be even better if the editor were also a poet.

If you enjoyed this post, check out our archive on Indie Author Basics, designed to guide you to self-publish your books with excellence.

Stay Warm, Good People!

Poetry Contest Gear and Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest this year. We will announce the semi-finalists on Friday, December 20, 2024.

In the meantime, the contest hoodies and t-shirts are now available on the website! Your support helps us keep this contest going year after year and keep it free to enter!

They are comfy, like a warm hug, and come in black and dark chocolate colors, with more to come. Sizes go up to 3XL.

The website also has a donation page if you are not interested in the gear but want to help.

SHOP YOUR POETRY CONTEST GEAR HERE

Support with a Donation Here

Hope to see you soon!

Yecheilyah’s 1st Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2017

Yecheilyah’s 2nd Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2018

Yecheilyah’s 3rd Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2019

Yecheilyah’s 4th Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2021

Yecheilyah’s 5th Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2022

Yecheilyah’s 6th Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2023

When Artists Go to Work

Toni Morrison

You don’t have to write a think piece today.

You don’t have to post a long, drawn-out social media thread about America’s sins.

You don’t have to debate and argue with people in the comments.

It might look like a gloomy day for some of you, but I want to remind you that Joy remains.

And do you want to know why Joy remains?

Other than you woke up this morning?

As Toni Morrison puts it, this is precisely the time when artists go to work!

“There is no time for despair. No time for pity. We speak. We write. We do language.” – Toni Morrison

This raw vulnerability many of you are feeling is precisely what you should put into the work.

Allow this emotion, good or bad, to bleed into one of the most potent poems you have ever penned.

Let it be the most profound and truthful piece you’ve ever written.

You don’t have to post it to social media, but write it down.

What I know of moments: They pass.

This historical moment will be written on the pages of history books, so what should you do?

Do what you’ve always done. Do the work.

As one woman put it on Facebook:

“You are awakening to the same country you fell asleep to. The very same country. Pull yourself together. And when you see me, do not ask me, ‘What do we do now?’ How do we get through the next four years?’ Some of my ancestors dealt with at least 400 years of this under worse conditions. Continue to do the good work. Continue to build bridges, not walls. Continue to lead with compassion. Continue the demanding work of liberation for all. Continue to dismantle systems. Continue to set the best example for your children.”

“Continue to be a vessel of nourishing Joy.”

– Venice Williams

Remember, we are accepting submissions for this year’s poetry contest on Joy from now through December 1st! Get started by subscribing at yecheilyahsannualpoetrycontest.org.

Click Here For the Entry Rules and Guidelines

If you would like to support our poets with a donation, you may do so by clicking on the website’s donation page here.

Hope to see you soon!

Yecheilyah’s 1st Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2017

Yecheilyah’s 2nd Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2018

Yecheilyah’s 3rd Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2019

Yecheilyah’s 4th Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2021

Yecheilyah’s 5th Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2022

Yecheilyah’s 6th Annual Poetry Contest Winners, 2023

Why Not Joy?

Spent time with these cuties this weekend!


Why write poems about joy in such a time as this?

This has been a constant question in the back of my mind. It is not something anyone has asked of me personally, but something that the subconscious, always overthinking part of my brain asks when it wishes to second-guess itself. And, in the rebuke of these thoughts, I answer:

“Why not joy?”

I do not mean always being happy when discussing cultivating a spirit of joy. No one is always joyful in the basic sense of the word. I do not mean toxic positivity or whatever that’s supposed to mean.

In the same way that we embrace anger, grief, and frustration (which are normal and have their place), we can also embrace more joy and gratitude. If sadness and depression suck our bones dry and drain our life force, then joy and gratitude can be a powerful life-saving nourishment.

As I’ve said in Black Joy: “Nobody talks about society’s addiction to Black trauma / how much more profitable it is to talk about pain than poems/depression than joy.”

This constant cycle of death and war is draining to the soul and rotten to the bones. Where do we find or hold onto our sanity without joy? Have we forgotten that it has always been here with us? If enslaved people found joy, why not us? Or do we believe we are that special of a generation that we can survive without it?

In “The Role of Joy and Imagination in a Revolution,” author Marii Herlinger writes: “White supremacy culture values objectivity, overworking, and neglecting self-care — joy interrupts that. White supremacy culture teaches us to be individualistic, self-serving, and distrustful of each other — love interrupts that. Therefore, joy, imagination and love are revolutionary tools which actively defy capitalism and white supremacy.”

Sounds like a page out of Tricia Hersey’s book!

Speaking of Hersey, in the same way that resting more does not make one lazy, nor is it the same thing as being idle (you can be well-rested and still do the work), more joy does not make one blind to the atrocities of the world. On the contrary, it can help one to see things more clearly by stepping outside of the chaos. As Jaiya John puts it, “It can be a revolutionary act of love for yourself and others to not let yourself be sped up by the pace of a toxic, anxious, frantic, desperate, traumatized culture. Stay slow, my friend. Everything beautiful in you is gestating.”

This year, our poetry contest theme is joy, so I want to give you more to consider as you pen your entry!

The Latin word for Joy is gaudium, meaning to rejoice. Think of a time when you found joy in the unexpected. How did that make you feel? In what ways did you rejoice?

I cannot wait to read/hear your masterpiece!

We accept entries from October 21st through December 1st!

PS. I just found out this blog has been listed among Feedspot’s 30 Best Self-Help Book Blogs and Websites of 2024! Thank ya’ll for rocking with me!

More

Photo by Neon Joi

We have enough people who are beautiful.
We need more who are brave.
We have enough people who are popular.
We need more who are passionate and purposeful.
We have enough people who are wild.
We need more who are wise.
We have enough people who are famous.
We need more who are faithful.
We have enough people who require rewards.
We need more who require respect.
We have enough people who are too afraid to fail.
We need more who are courageous enough to fly.

You can listen to this poem on TikTok, and be sure to subscribe on YouTube!