Shawnmica Townsend at the #SpringfieldOHBookFair

7/13/2019

Shawnmica Townsend
Inspirational Poetry

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and began writing in middle school. Back then, I wrote short stories and plays. In the 10th grade, I received an award for professional playwriting. That was when I realized just how great I could be at writing.
I began writing poetry in the 11th grade and discovered my passion. I fell in love with poetry. After high school, I continued writing on and off throughout the years. Sometimes I went years without writing a single thing. I never forced my writing: it comes straight from the heart, whether it’s something I’ve experienced, heard, or witnessed.

I wanted to write a book for a long time. I never found the right time or had the courage to do something that amazing until I came to a turning point in my life. Between 2016 to 2018, I lost my mother, my father, and my close cousin. It changed my life forever. It changed my way of thinking and it definitely changed my vision. Everything that I felt at that moment I wrote. That is how my first poetry book What Lies Within the Words Written Vol. 1 came about.

Losing my loved ones pained me in an indescribable way, but at the same time, it opened my eyes. Although they’re no longer here on Earth, I still wanted to make them proud. That is what gave me the extra push I needed to seek out this dream of mine. With the help of my family and through my poetry, I began the healing process. I always kept things buried, because I’m not good at expressing how I feel. My writing is where I pour out my heart and soul.

When I write, I don’t just write for myself. I write, because someone else could be feeling the same way I do. My words could be the outlet that someone needs. When I write, I write to uplift and inspire. I also write to encourage and to help heal the broken.
My book is a collection of poetry. Every word comes straight from my heart. The title itself has a powerful meaning behind it: what do the words that have been written mean to you? How do they speak to you? How can you relate? What message did you get from it?