Interview with Poet Nikki Rawnsley (WHISPERS)

1) What is the theme of your poem?

This poem is one of my whimsical, more mysterious poems on love – Self-love.

It is the desire to be heard, seen, and understood when at our most vulnerable.

It is really about INNER STRENGTH.

2) What motivated you to write this poem?

Love motivated me to write it.

I am a lover of words and the magic that words can communicate.

These poems are drawn from within me. My goal is to transcend and radiate the energy around me. With this prose and words, I want to unleash them to tease your mind, draw you in – and then crack open your heart.

3) How long have you been writing poetry?

My experience and background have always revolved around writing.

I am a corporate professional; and a marketing business leader – so I write for a living.

I have been writing since I was a quite young, but back then I did not have the life experience to go along with it. My writings were mostly nonsense, which I am a huge fan of. The more I study, the more I learn, the more I live, and the more I experience – and the more vulnerable I become, it allows my writing to become more relatable to my audience.

I have committed to my poetry writing and other writings more consistently in the past year.

4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?

What a fabulous question. I would really choose two individuals as dinner guests.

The first would have to be Dr Seuss. Who has not heard of “Green Eggs and Ham?” – or “The Cat in the Hat? Or my favorite is “The Lorax.”

Although his messages are written for children, his profound topics on the world are as relevant today as they were back then. As humans we still have not learned the lessons.

My second dinner guest would be Lewis Carroll, and I actually would not know where to start.

I do have a story – when I moved from Australia to the USA I brought only one tiny suitcase. It contained some clothes, and one book – the collected works of Lewis Carroll.

I have always been a fan and in awe of his work.

5) What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?

When you read a poem or words silently to yourself, you can appreciate the message and bring in your own experiences and context.

But when you hear the story in spoken words, it adds an additional sensory layer. A professional actor can add character to those words with accent, enunciation, and passion, all without distracting the audience. That brings additional power to the audience or reader’s experience.

6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?

This poem will be included in VOLUME 1 of a poetry anthology I have written called Black Heart Poems and Words – an inspired anthology from the edge of darkness illuminated with a sprinkling of light – to be released this Fall 2022. (Copyright © 2022 all rights reserved)

VOLUME 2 is already in progress. I also have three more books brainstorming in my head that are yet to make it to paper form.

7) What is your passion in life?

Life is my passion. We are here to live it to its fullest and experience it with others. I am here to share it – the good, the bad and the ugly.

We as humans seek out connections and experiences to feel fulfilled. This is a beautiful feeling and a genuine experience. One that you should dive in and embrace fully.

Watch the Poetry Reading: