By Elizabeth Gracen:
Flapper Press is always excited when a new poet comes on board to share their work. Rachel Holman is no exception. She is creative, mindful, and a true believer in the power of poetry to set our spirits free in a unique, authentic way. Rachel has contributed to the site before, but we asked her to share new poems so that we could feature her work.
Please meet Rachel Holman!
EG: Rachel, we welcome your lovely poems to Flapper Press. Please tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
RH: I’m a 23 year old New Englander. I come from a comfortable and sheltered middle-class lifestyle. So adulthood definitely was a wake up call. But creating has always been an outlet for me. I aim to be able to make a living off of creating someday.
EG: Let’s talk about poetry. When did you start writing poetry? Do you remember what your first poem was?
RH: Poetry actually wasn’t my first natural expression the way drawing was. When I was in eighth grade, we had to write poems for a contest called Project Poetry. I ended up the winner in my school with a poem called “Teardrops.” I’ve been writing on and off since then, and I’ve recently picked it up again.
EG: What does poetry mean to you? Why is it important in your life?
RH: Poetry is interesting because you get to bend the rules of writing, grammar, and language. You can evoke imagery and emotions not present in everyday conversation.
For those who struggle to express how they feel through normal sentences, the way that I do, poetry can be a way to speak to the world in hopes that others will relate and understand.
EG: Does your poetry follow a clear path or does wind its way through your world, touching on all sorts of ideas and emotions?
RH: My themes definitely touch a lot on the environment and the first-world human condition. But I also get inspiration from certain things I hear and see. That’s one important thing for artists to remember: you need to be receptive to your surroundings! Inspiration can strike from anywhere at anytime.
EG: Why do you think the world needs poetry?
RH: The world needs poetry and art in general because it puts us back in the moment, it’s exciting.
Nothing makes me happier than reading a poem, hearing a song, or seeing a piece of art that’s new to me. It’s important to get a new perspective on the world around us.
Read Rachel Holman's poetry here.