During Tulsa LitFest, sponsored by Oklahoma State University-Tulsa, I had the privilege of seeing Layli Long Soldier perform poetry. It was a dream come true for me, and I was giddy with anticipation as I made the long drive to Tulsa for just an hour of her time. Long Soldier is one of the poets I find most inspirational in my poetry and my goals as a writer. Being exposed to her work early in my undergraduate degree revolutionized how I viewed and wrote poetry. I couldn't believe I was going to be in the same room as her and hear her voice read the poetry I had read over and over under the golden lamplight of my desk.
To anyone who doesn't know who I am talking about, here is some information to get you started: Long Soldier is an award-winning Oglala Lakota poet with degrees from the Insitute of American Indian Arts and Bard College. Her collection of poetry, Whereas, was a finalist for the National Book Award for Poetry in 2017. Long Soldier is a feminist, writer, artist, and activist.
When I first studied Long Soldier's work, I was assigned excerpts from Whereas. I was immediately in awe of her ability to transform a page. Long Soldier is a visual poet, who like me, used to think about poetry in a strictly traditional manner. Eventually, during her time as an undergraduate, she began to explore how a poem's form can be as meaningful-- if not more-- as its content. Long Soldier said at the poetry reading that she enjoyed making poems that were inviting visually for the reader and that she gauged a visually successful poem by if she would be drawn to it herself. She also explained that visual poetry gives her joy and keeps the art form fresh and exciting for her. Her joy and liberty within the page are contagious and it changed how I thought about writing entirely. I encourage others to read her work, see how she manipulates the page and documents to make new meanings, and to imagine poetry to be more than rhyme and meter.
After Long Soldier's reading was over, I found I did not have the courage to go up and talk to her. Overwhelmed by the energy of the room and by the presence of my literary hero, I found I was not only afraid but speechless. But if I could speak to her now, I would say this:
Layli,
Your words have pushed me into action. They have made me approach the impossible and have empowered me through your example of liberation, joy, and abandonment of poetic expectations. Your words and career make my ambitions feel possible. I aspire to be even an ounce of the artist you are. I hope to inspire others to know the freedom in poetry-- to abandon tradition for tradition's sake and to breathe life and meaning into the vast white space of a page. Thank you for all you have done and are doing through poetry and more.
Sincerely,
Me
To view an example of Layli Long Soldier's visually innovative and thought-provoking poetry, visit the Poetry Foundation to read "Obligations 2" using the link below:
Comments