I’ve always gone after what I’ve wanted in life fervently, because I am aware of just how short and precious this life is. I try my best to “seize the day”, and I intend to live my life with no regrets.
Hello to the reader! My name is Monika, and I am a Poet, Heart Healer, Reiki Master and Sound Practitioner, but for the sake of this interview, I will focus on my inner Poet.
I currently reside in the TriState area, but I am originally from the south. I was born on a small island off the coast of southern Georgia and lived there during my early years. My parents split up just a couple of years after I was born, and so I grew up with my grandparents in a small town in northern NJ until my mother remarried.
My best childhood memories were from that time period. I was really close with my grandfather. He would look after me during the day while my grandmother and mother were at work, so we spent a lot of time together working on little creative projects. I would often find him stapling several small pieces of paper together so that I could write little books. If I close my eyes I can still hear his voice, and his deep Ukrainian accent: “Here, Vnuchka, write me a story.”
I was a wildly creative little girl, and I started writing at the age of 5. I wrote many short stories and poems, played the piano, and drew pictures to pass the time. After the sudden death of my grandfather at age 10, I slowly started to disconnect from my passions. I quit my piano lessons. I wrote less and less. My teenage years and beyond were difficult for me. At one point, my mother and stepfather wanted to ship me off to a boarding school for young artists, in hopes that I would “straighten out”.
Poetry was always there for me, even when I turned my back on myself. Throughout my entire life, in good and bad times, I have always turned to my poetry to carry me through. I have journals and notebooks containing poems from different periods in my life. I spent my 20’s searching for myself. I learned a lot of lessons and experienced a lot of pain as a result of some of my choices in life. But those painful experiences molded me into the strong, heart-led woman that I am today and for that I am grateful. It’s the paradox of the wounded healer, you know… and through healing from my own experiences I am now able to help others. It’s those challenging life experiences that ultimately make us rich-not financially, but in all things that involve the heart.
Monika, could you share what Poetry means to you?
Poetry to me means Freedom. With a capital F! When I’m writing poetry, I am free.
My soul is completely open to whatever inspiration is moving through my being in that moment when I’m putting pen to paper. I am free to express myself any which way I choose. I am free to share my deepest thoughts and feelings. I am free to imagine.
Poetry is freedom, and poetry is life.
What is the source of your inspiration when writing poetry?
That really depends on what’s present in my reality at the time that I’m writing. Lately, it’s been love. Deep, sacred and soulful love. I’ve always been a romantic soul, so when I’m in love, my creative flow and my poetry tend to show it. I would say that love and romance are the main sources of my inspiration.
Does your poetry represent who you are or who you want to become?
Not necessarily. My poetry can represent many different things. I would say that my poetry is a reflection of whatever my soul is expressing at that exact moment. Plus, my imagination is too vivid and too wild to be contained to one topic-the topic being me. But- I do have many poems that represent who I am.
Poets write about Love and heartbreak. Have you ever had your heart “broken”?
Ahhhh….heartbreak. That word can represent so many emotions. I have experienced loss, sadness, and disappointment. I believe that hearts never truly “break”…they only experience feelings that are meant to teach them lessons and strengthen them. But, in those moments when you’re feeling those feelings, it can really hurt, hence why we call it “heartbreak”.
What is the part that you enjoy the most about writing poetry?
Sharing it! I enjoy sharing my poems with others. It can sometimes feel scary to open up and bare your soul with the world, but once you do, it’s so freeing. When I was in high school, my English teacher would encourage me to stand up in front of the class and read my poems out loud. And my classmates loved it. When someone can connect with my poetry and it touches their heart… that’s the best..
What is your creative process like?
It’s often spontaneous. I write as soon as the inspiration starts to come to me. Sometimes, the creative flow comes to me when I’m sitting still in my room or sometimes it starts when I’m out and about running errands. I keep my notebook handy wherever I go. When I sit down at my desk to write, I make sure that my surroundings are quiet so that I can really hear myself think. I try to tap into the feelings that come up when I think about whatever it is that I’m writing about.
What is the hardest part of writing poetry for you?
When it feels forced! I cannot write when I feel pressured. The words literally flow through my being when I am writing a poem. They come to my mind effortlessly. If I feel forced in any way, my creative flow stops.
Could you give some inspirational words for people who would like to embark on a path in poetry?
I would tell them to be fearless. I would tell them to hold NOTHING back. A poet needs to feel supported and needs to know that it’s ok to express ANYTHING that comes to the surface as they’re writing.
I would also tell them to organize their poetry so that when it comes time to submit their first manuscript, they won’t feel so overwhelmed. And lastly, I would tell them to be themselves, and to express themselves freely. Whatever that looks like. Poetry is their path to freedom.
Instagram: monikanhendrix
Photography by
Travis Honnick travishonnick
