Page 82 - Future Leaders Magazine

INSPIRATION

Future Leader Imani

Shola is an author, poet
and YouTube V-logger.
She is author of Heart

Shards and Lip Balm, a
collection of self-care
poems. Here she shares
what inspired her debut

book, her journey with
poetry and what it’s like
being a student at the
University of Cambridge

eart Shards and Lip Balm was
written and published in
response to the pandemic of
H depression, disillusionment
and low self-esteem among my generation
of millennials, which I saw – and am still
seeing – all around me, and which breaks POETRY
my heart. I wrote the collection over the
course of 11 months during a very diffi cult
process of hurting and healing, and as a
radical response of love and affi rmation for
anyone who is currently facing – or has ever
faced – a dark or diffi cult season.
e collection, which comprises 100
short proverb-style wisdom poems and
a rmative reminders, is for readers dealing IN
with – or who have ever felt – emotional
pain, heartbreak and disillusionment,
for example, a er the breakdown of a
relationship. I wrote it for those who
love easily and who o en
regret their own so ness,
just as much as for those
currently experiencing or
a ected by mental illness
and depression. It is, quite
simply, love in book form for
anyone who needs it. Love in book form:
Award-winning
I’ve been writing poetry poet Imani Shola
from a very young age –
before I can remember! I used
to write songs and poems
to and for my parents, and I my favourite book! In 2011, one of the world’s best universities, but I was
loved it when we got to study I was honoured to be named raised in a single-parent family home.
poetry at school in English a Commended Winner of the There are hardly any black students at
a Commended Winner of the
lessons. I have always loved writing – for Foyle Young Poet of the Year Award, the Cambridge, fewer still are black women
example, I am a big advocate of writing in a world’s most prestigious award for young of Caribbean descent. My experience
journal as a method of self-care – so I think poets, attracting tens of thousands of entries is different, and I think it’s that which
my love of poetry fl owed out of that. from 70 countries each year. distinguishes me. And in terms of
I love seeing and creating patterns in I think what makes me different is leadership, I recently read somewhere that
language and using my language to help my experience. Everyone has their own the world rallies around those who carve
others in whichever way I am able to. My experiences, and my art refl ects mine. Lots paths of their own; in living out and sharing
biggest inspirations are Carol Ann Duffy of things about me don’t fi t the trend – I my honest, vulnerable experiences in my
and Alexandra Elle, and the poetry and am a black woman of Caribbean descent poetry and on my platforms, people have
imagery in the Psalms of the Bible, which is studying at the University of Cambridge, found things in common with me and have

80 FUTURE LEADERS | 2017-18