A long time ago I made the commitment to write. Writing is about expression, discovery and voicing our opinions.

I knew back then in my early twenties that writers needed to be realistic about the path they choose and on my 23rd birthday my Mother brought me my 1st book of poetry. It was The Complete Poems by Thomas Hardy.

Even then I found this book challenging and sometimes hard to understand. It wasn’t until I reached my thirties and felt mature enough to study other poets and writers and their work, it slowly made sense to me that the language used to describe written work should have no hidden agendas.

Any form of writing should be honest. It is a form of expression and impact, a bit like an actor or singer who expresses words and sounds openly.

I use narrative and descriptive form when writing as I enjoy telling the story, and we all have a story to tell. I remember my mother’s broom cupboard, not the most exotic place for an 11 year old to plan one’s future as a writer and poet, but for the time spent in the cupboard I allowed my mind to explore the many creative possibilities for later.

To make contact with words by releasing them into a space or onto paper has given me an inner source of strength and freedom.

Writing is challenging. The fear of trying and the fear of not trying is always there. I make every effort not to deliberately complicate something because at the end of the day – we want to make sure we are understood. Having a voice can set us free.

I never had a voice then but I do have a voice now.

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