Reaching out to the next generation

When I joined Twitter (@VanitaHork) in December 2021 to promote my poetry blog and gain a wider audience for my poems, I never dreamed that it would lead to amazing experiences and connect me with wonderful people around the globe!

To be honest, joining Twitter was a big step out of my comfort zone – I had an acute sensation that there were unwritten rules and norms that I didn’t know about, and that I was probably making social gaffes frequently.

But I was also met with warmth and support and welcomed into the writing community there.

An honour…

Only three months into Twitter, in March 2022, I was contacted by one of my new Twitter friends and a very supportive person, whom I call Rod (@ITSPOSSIBLE_Rod).

Rod is a teacher in a middle school in Long Island, New York, and he is a great motivator. Rod truly believes that anything is possible, and that one can overcome challenges and fulfil one’s dreams and goals. ‘Anything is possible’ is Rod’s message to his students and Twitter friends alike. In fact, he has written a book called ‘Anything’s Possible!: What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?’ aimed at youngsters from age 8-18 years, encouraging them and helping guide them to their future professions.

Rod wrote that he had seen in my bio that I had started writing poetry at the age of 13, and if I would be willing to record a short video for Author’s Week at his school to be held in April 2022?

Normally the school invited local authors to talk to the students, but for several reasons, this was not possible this year. So, would I be interested in doing a 5-minute video for 10–14-year-olds?

I was thrilled to be asked but also very nervous! Could I deliver a good and inspiring message? Rod’s instructions for the video were simple and clear enough: A bit of bio about how I started writing as a teenager, motivate the youngsters to write themselves, present and explain one of my poems, and finally, a shout out for my blog – all in just 5 minutes!

I said yes, because I was honoured to get this unique opportunity, and I really hoped that I and my poetry could make a difference for the young students.

… and a challenge

But it was easier said than done!

First point to consider – which poem should I choose? Most of my poems from my teens tended to be dark and very personal, and therefore not always suitable for a young audience. I needed to find a poem that the students could relate to, and which could be read aloud and explained within 5 minutes.

I briefly considered, amongst others, Departure, which I wrote in 1984 at the age of 16. I finally decided on Positive Abundance from 2021, which Rod also agreed was a good choice.

Next came the recording. I did not feel comfortable simply talking into the camera, and I wanted the focus to be on my poetry and my message, and not on me as a person.

I decided to make a PowerPoint presentation and speak to the slides, something I am very familiar with in my day job. The slides helped me structure my thoughts and key points.

I started to record. The first attempt was much longer than 5 minutes! This made me appreciate how difficult it is to express oneself with brevity, especially when one has a lot to communicate. I mentally made a note of my key points again and in order of priority. I rehearsed once or twice and realised that I needed to stick to the key points if I was to make it within the time limit.

The second attempt went much better. I had delivered the key messages I wanted to, had spoken slowly and clearly, and had kept to 5 minutes! Satisfied with the result, I mailed the video to Rod end of March. Rod was really pleased with the video, so now I needed to wait for Author’s Week in April for Rod and his colleagues to present it to selected classes.

Heart-warming and affirming response

Author’s Week was held as planned in the first week of April 2022, and I eagerly waited for feedback from Rod:

Had the students liked my poem? Could they relate to it? What did they say?

Around the middle of April I heard from Rod, while I was on Easter vacation with my family. The poem had been received very well indeed, and a few children had even written me letters! Rod was kind enough to forward the letters to me.

I was deeply moved and humbled by them.

My poem had touched the hearts of these youngsters, who opened up and reached out to me with their own thoughts and feelings!

They had felt inspired by my poem and my story and wanted to start writing themselves, and some of them in fact wrote already. I could sense their sensitive hearts and, in some cases, feelings of being lonely. This is something I could relate to from my own teen years, and my heart went out to them:

‘Thank you for sharing your poem. I really had a connection with it. It has a deep meaning to me. I am like you, as when you were a kid. I also have a journal to express my feelings. That really means a lot to me as a shy kid… To me it’s funny because out of all the poems I’ve read, yours is the one I can relate to the most. I really appreciate that you shared your poem with us. It inspired me to write more.’

‘Thank you for sharing your poem with us. Your poem was amazing, and a lot of people can relate to it. Your poem inspired me to write a journal and express my feelings. You also inspired me to follow my dreams by telling us at what age you started writing and how you did it for fun.’

‘Thank you for sharing your poem with us and taking the time out of your day to share it. I really liked your poem because I can relate to it. My uncle passed away when I was 8 and it was hard. He died because he was really sick. In your poem you made me realize that’s just a part of life.’

Their letters were a gift and a blessing to me and made me realise that my poems had multiple layers and could speak to people in ways unique to their own life experiences.

When we got home from our family Easter break, I wrote a letter to each child individually, to thank them for this gift, and to encourage them to continue writing and expressing themselves. God willing, I might be able to visit their school in Long Island some day and meet them in person.

Would I do it again?

Yes, absolutely!

I learned a lot from this experience, and the genuine and warm responses from the students validated the reasons for my decision to launch my blog and start publishing my poems.

As I wrote when I launched this blog in November 2021 (Vanita The Poet):

‘… my poems could perhaps resonate with people beyond my close circle of family and friends… they could bring comfort to others in pain… some themes are universal, and… my voice deserved to be heard.’

Writing this post has brought back pleasant memories of connecting with Rod, making the video and last, but not least, reaching out and touching the next generation.

If you enjoyed reading this or are interested in videos or recitals of my poems, do leave a comment, or contact me via this blog!

I also invite you to visit my Author Profile on Amazon, Goodreads and BookBub. All my books are free on KindleUnlimited. Please do leave a review.

Vanita Shukla Hork, July 2022