Carolina Writers Speak
Carolina Writers Speak
Sheena Powell, Author
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I am a local poet living in New Bern - a transplant from my native Miami, Florida. A scientist by trade, a poet by heart, an activist by conviction, and a yoga teacher by nature, I am passionate about communicating truth. I've been on a years-long journey to complete my first collection of poems, and I am proud to share that my work (a full-length book of poetry) was picked up by award-winning publisher Finishing Line Press.
To be a wordsmith is defined as a person who writes, an author, a journalist, a person who commits their thoughts to paper. But I believe it is so much more. The ability to craft a story, to change lives, transport the ordinary life to an extraordinary place. To put words on paper and awaken the imagination in ways that the reader never dreamed possible. Yes, to have the ability to see what isn't there and make you see it too. To awaken the senses in new and amazing ways, like feeling a cool breeze on a hot summer day on your cheek. To smell wildflowers as they bloom, to taste the delicacy on foreign soil, to feel like you've never felt before, touching places long forgotten, connecting your soul in new ways. That's what writers do. It's my pleasure to host Carolina Writers Speak, a new podcast, a chance to hear actual writers' voices, hear what inspires them, experience their trials and their struggles, and realize that we all have a story and it's worth telling. This is Rose Cushing, and I am the host of Carolina Writers Speak, our literary podcast. And today we have an exciting new guest, Sheena Powell. Sheena is a poet and she has a new book out called Polyhymnia. And I'm excited for you guys to get to meet her. Good morning, Sheena. Good morning, Rose. It's so good to be here with you. I'm excited to have you on the show. And for everybody out here that doesn't know you yet, please tell us a little bit about you.
SPEAKER_00Well, I am a native of Miami, Florida. I was born and raised there. And I spent all of my life in South Florida until about six years ago when my husband and I moved to Newburn chasing a sailboat. The idea was that we would um take hold of this sailboat and sail her down to Coconut Grove and where we had a mooring waiting, but we were so enchanted by the town of New Bern that we decided to stay here instead of go down south. So we picked up and came to New Bern and never looked back.
SPEAKER_01I can understand that. So it's near and dear to my heart, of course. It's very enchanting the city. This is your first book. So tell us a little bit about your writing process and why you decided to write a book.
SPEAKER_00Well, I ever since I could remember Rose, um, even in my childhood, I've always loved poetry. And um my one of my earliest um memories of falling in love with poetry was in um reading this book that my grandmother had given me called The Sound of Poetry. It was an anthology of children's poems, and they were they were so sweet. Uh the poems were about different types of people, um, what they do for work, uh, poems about nature. And I was so enthralled by by that book, I just couldn't uh stop reading it. Um, it was my greatest treasure. And ever since then, I used poetry as a vehicle of understanding the world around me, of processing my feelings, of sharing and even um giving gifts to people that I love in terms of poetry. Okay, well, um in Miami, I was involved with a thriving poetry community um over the years. And uh I was involved um with the Miami Poets and the famous Last Friday uh poetry group at Books and Books. And um I did uh several uh open mics and live events. I produced a really great community event for um international uh jazz day in Poetry Month in April. It was um beat poetry at um one of Miami's oldest um bars called Le Chate Noir. And it was a really great event pulling together uh local poets and musicians. It was a really, you know, beat kind of event uh to celebrate jazz and poetry. Um I did receive at that time um several years ago a residency at the writer's room at the Betsy Hotel in Miami Beach. Um it's a it's um a special grant uh given to writers that are in the middle of producing uh their works. They are the Betsy Hotel is a poet-friendly hotel. Um the original owner was Chaim Pletzik. Um and his children um currently own and operate the hotel now. So they are they do have a soft spot for poets. And after I received that residency, I I really um had the opportunity to gel my collection of poetry, and I began to develop it as something that I could shop around for publication. I did uh um add a few more poems after I moved here to New Bern, um, and I'd love to read one of those poems later. It was originally um featured in the Bank of the Arts at Frass at Crassus Poetry in uh 2024. Um, so I one of the first things I did when I moved here to Newburn is seek out my fellow poets. So it's been really, really nice, and this town is Newburn is just rich with um inspiration. Um, I did receive um accolades from a contest um through Poets and Writers magazine. I found Finishing Line Press. Um, I entered my collection of poetry called Polyhymnia, and I'll tell you about that title. Um uh so the the Finishing Line Press granted me um a semi-finalist uh award and I received a publishing contract for my book. So I was really, really excited about that. Nice. And rounding out the journey of polyhymnia, um I received a an artist support grant from Craven Arts Council, um part of North Carolina Arts Council through Bank of the Arts. So that helped me with publicity and sharing and the things that I need to do to market my book and and the practical things of getting getting my poetry out there into the world. And it's been a really great adventure. And then um on June 8th, I embarked on a publicity tour for my book. So for eight weeks, um I am doing so many events, uh working with local poets, other musicians traveling in in other towns close by here in eastern North Carolina, um, and uh talking to you is a part of that. And I'm really, really honored that I could could share the work with you.
SPEAKER_01Well, we're excited to have you on the show. Now did your when did your book debut?
SPEAKER_00Well, the the official release date is October 9th. So at this time, um since June 8th, pre-orders are available. So between June 8th through August 14th, uh there is a um discount that can be enjoyed when folks uh pre-order the book, and they can go to sheenapowellpoet.com or um finishing line press to order the book directly. And uh after that, uh the book will still be for sale, but um, in that time I will be um approving the galleys and final editing, and the book will go to press. And in October is when the official book launch happens.
SPEAKER_01Well, that sounds learning a lot, yeah, learning a lot in this process. Yeah, definitely. It's it's very smart to do your book publicity tour in eastern North Carolina because in today's market, marketing, grassroots audience is so important. So you're very smart to be building that. Now tell me about the title because that's so interesting.
SPEAKER_00Thank you. Thank you for asking about that. Um, the title is Polyhymnia. Um, in Greek mythology, there are nine divine sisters called the Muses, and they are considered of one mind and of one heart, and they are the free spirits that thrive on song and poetry. So they are they each have their unique gifts. And polyhymnia uh is an intellectual depicted as pensive and meditative, and she is considered the muse of many hymns as her name describes. And um, she is the muse of all the songs to the gods, and she is considered to be very eloquent, and she and her sister muses used the grace of poetry and song to comfort the heartbroken. Um I I I've always been interested in Greek mythology. So when coming across uh the the description of the muses while I was trying to compile my collection of poetry, um Polyhymnia just really spoke to me and she she became my muse, so to speak. Um and uh that's the origin of the title. There is also um in Polyhymnia's name, hymn is song, right? And um Deborah Plutzik, who is the daughter of Chaim Plutzik, the owner of the uh Betsy Hotel on Miami Beach, where I stayed in the writer's room and residency, she told me that uh she heard me read several of my poems um in several different um locations and events. And she noticed a musical theme that flowed through my poetry. There was always some kind of musical element that I was not aware of, but I guess that was in my heart, right? And it came out in my writing. And it was it was that comment that allowed me to lean into the the musical theme of my poetry, whether it's literal or whether it's very subtle, um, there is music that flows throughout.
SPEAKER_01The very first book that I published with Cushing Publishings was for Shelby Stevenson, and he was a North Carolina poet laureate, like in 2015 to 18. And he always said to me, Rose, poetry is the words to the music, and the music is what you see and hear around you in life. And I I thought that was so beautiful the way that he framed that up.
SPEAKER_00That is so beautiful, the way uh Stevenson framed that. Um, as in addition to the anthology, the sound of poetry that I read as a kid, back when I was a child, there were these things called albums, right? Yes. So so the albums had these really vivid pictures uh on the cover, often like original artwork. And inside the the sleeve where the album was held, there were the lyrics to all of the songs. And just like you said, the the lyrics of songs are the it's the poetry of the songs. So I really enjoyed reading all of the lyrics, and and to this day I know the words to every song. Yeah, yeah. But that's the lyrics are so powerful.
SPEAKER_01I mean, I you know, it's amazing. Uh as I'm listening to music, and it doesn't even matter what genre of music, there'll be a line that just really strikes me as that wow, that is so powerful and so profound. So I I think poetry and music definitely go hand in hand.
SPEAKER_00It does, Rose. Uh and in fact, I did two separate events here in Newburn um surrounding the music of polyhymnia. So it was an experience, not just of an event with poetry readings, but rather an experience with poetry and song. So um the beauty of doing this publicity tour is that I do get to work with so many people that are um here in Newburn and to meet different musicians and and poets and really grow that community. Um, but I I collaborated um with musicians to play certain songs or elements of songs that were related to my poems, and the events were really, really interesting. I even got an offer to uh do these types of events of events again as a gig. So I might have a little eye hustle.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, there you go. That that is so brilliant. What a brilliant way to market your work. Now, for the folks listening that are writers, tell us a little bit about your writing process from beginning to end for your book.
SPEAKER_00Uh years ago, I used to write poetry when the mood struck me, right? When I felt something or something comes to mind that I have to write. Um, but those instances were few and far between, right? There wasn't any consistency, although I did have poems that came from that and I would write when I was inspired. Um, but over the years, when I started to really develop as a writer and a poet, I started to impose a little bit of discipline in my work, like in the mornings, very early in the morning, uh when when the world is still asleep, uh, I enjoy writing within the quiet with my own thoughts. And it became like a little bit of a morning routine. And I never know what's gonna come. You know, maybe I do have some idea, but sometimes I don't. And when I start writing, something comes. So it's just the the habit of sitting and writing. Um, and then what I do like to do um is go out in the field, so to speak. I have uh several cherished notebooks and sketchbooks that I take with me. I enjoy uh venturing out on my own alone at a at a restaurant or just going to a park or other place, hear some music, and just observe. And I write these things down in my uh in my notebook by hand. I draw pictures, I write what I see and what I feel in a stream of consciousness. And it is from those journals now that I uh open when I'm having my coffee at my computer in the morning and I start to develop those ideas. So it is a um it is a stepwise process. And um, sometimes poems come out on the page when I handwrite them, and then I just work on developing those. And sometimes I just take the ideas or the feelings that I had documented and develop that into a poem. And I believe the poetry, the poems themselves have a life, right? And it's up to me as the observer to shine light on it. So um, in that sense, I consider myself very much a free verse poet.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well, that's really cool. The fact that you use the journaling and things to capture ideas and scenes, you know, and and um photos of a moment, so to speak. True. Brilliant. How long did it take you to write your book once you got serious?
SPEAKER_00I would say um all of 10 years. All of 10 years. Um when I was uh writing without discipline prior to that 10-year mark, um, I was really writing as a sense of with a sense of catharsis, right? I feel bad or I feel happy or I feel confused, and that would come out in a poem. And the the Romanian poet Andrei Kodrescu, who I used to hear um on the radio, he was a really clever satirist, and he did write poetry and he wrote songs. And I did see him at the Miami International Book Fair. I saw him talk live, and and he said he said something about um moving away from poetry of the loins. I'll never forget that. It hit me like a ton of bricks, right? Poetry of the loins, and I felt I I'm doing that, I'm processing everything I feel personally and emotionally into this poetry. Maybe I should step away from that, you know, get away from the poetry of my loins and be a more observant poet, a poet that observes things and shares those things. Of course, Rose, you know, as a writer, that we do bring our emotions and we do bring our thoughts and our passions and our soul and heart into our writing. However, it doesn't have to be literal, right? So I have I have to thank Andre Kodrescu for inspiring me to that. Um, and then from there is when I really started to write seriously and uh more directly and pointedly, and then started to um share my poems in live readings and in poetry circles. I sought them out.
SPEAKER_01You know, to share your work like that live in public, it takes a lot of courage. So I'm so proud of you for doing that because that's scary.
SPEAKER_00It is, it is terrifying. And when I started to go to the poetry groups in Miami, the Miami Poets Soiree was one of them. And of course, it's a friendly circle of poets. Um, there's no no danger there, but it was terrifying to think that I would read one of my own. So I just read other people's poems. I might read Andre Kodrescu's poems or somebody or Sylvia Plath, who's a really um amuse to me. And I met I met a poet uh who became a very dear friend and mentor to me, Sherwood Ross. Um, and he encouraged me, you should read your own poems, you know, don't be scared, get it out there. And he really encouraged me to inspire me to be bold and to read. And I do remember the first time that I read my poem, uh, I was covered in a sheen of perspiration from the terror of it all and from just really bearing myself, right? And then sure when I was done, Sherwood leaned to me and he said, That was very good. Good. I can still still hear that voice. And I never looked back. I feel very good about reading my poetry now.
SPEAKER_01That that's wonderful. It's so nice to have somebody to encourage you and a mentor like that to kind of bring you along. And share with the audience a little bit about how important it is to find the writer's circle and you know, the tribe of people that you can can bounce ideas off of and help you grow and and develop.
SPEAKER_00Oh, it is so important. I feel that it it allows you the freedom. And certainly in my case, it gives me inspiration and connection with people that are doing the same thing. And the poets that I have met in this journey over the past couple of weeks have been so different and so wild and so free. And to bask in that artist energy is just it's delicious and it's very inspiring and it's motivating. Writing in itself is a very solitary activity, right? So we we need some kind of connection. We can have connection with our with our family and our friends and that, and that's good. But to connect with people that understand us, you know, that we kind of operate at a uh a certain frequency, um, it's really, really neat. I went to this this one um little joint in Wilmington. It was called the Barzar. Uh, independently owned, you know, really like small, small place. Uh, they make really delicious homemade tacos and they have a wonderful bar and a little area that they hold an open mic occasionally. And I met so many different people that were younger people than me, older people than me, um, different walks of life, uh, different different styles. Uh, there was a stand-up comedian, there was a young young man that played guitar that wasn't against his body, but kind of laid down like a like a country steel guitar. And um just to meet that very interesting group of people was was exciting for me. I was a I was a square there for sure. Um, and then even here in my in my own town, um going to Michelle Fly's bookstore, the next chapter of Books and Arts, which is in downtown New Bern, um, just hanging around there, I met other writers. And she she puts together um a poetry group once a month or so on on a casual basis. And I've met so many poets through there. Um so it's it's really important because it makes me feel good. It makes me feel good. And I I go to sleep with a smile on my face and I wake up and I feel really motivated and excited within to create. So it is very important to connect with that community. And I'm gonna keep connecting with it post polyhemnia, right? So that's yeah, that's one of the best things about doing this publicity tour.
SPEAKER_01Well, I think it's so much fun when you have a good writer's group that you really gel with because it gives you the permission to fail and to fail in a soft landing, you know, where they Can say, well, you know, that's kind of a good idea, but you need to fix it a little better or change the wording just a little bit or go a little different direction. And that really helps you grow and expand your perspective. And I think you become so much of a better writer when you kind of have that test drive with the audience, if that makes sense.
SPEAKER_00That's true. It makes perfect sense. And it's it's really um helps helps one develop as a writer too, and to eliminate a little of that fear. I think not just writers, um, but all artists have this um, for lack of a better phrase, an issue with self-esteem, right? We are our worst critics. There's always something to edit in our writings or poetry. There's always like one more stroke you need to put on a canvas that, you know, maybe you didn't get the light right, or so um, we do need to be in a safe space that tells us everything's cool.
SPEAKER_01Well, let me hear some of your poetry. Would you like to read us a couple?
SPEAKER_00I would love to. I would love to. Thank you. Um, I have I have uh uh a poem here that was that I read on Friday night at um Dorothy at Dick's Park. They do a poetry in the park out in Raleigh. It was really beautiful, and I met a lot of great poets there, and it's we're gonna stay in touch and I'll be out there again. But at at Dick's Park in the the house of many markets, um there's a little venue where you can have a drink and sit outside and enjoy the sunset. It was surrounded by oak trees, and I felt it fitting to read a poem that I wrote uh from my backyard in Miami, Florida, called The Mighty Oak. The Mighty Oak an ode to Betty. Daggers of light slice through the mighty oak's branches and leaves, crisp with winter's chill, dry breath. Seasoned wood limbs reach from Mother Earth's bosom, and the oak snaps its fingers as it rustles in the wind. Soothing morning shade blankets the parched earth, casting glittery light that dances like fairies. Green leaves plump with summer will soon fan sprightly birds that sing in harmony with nature's symphony. And that is my yoke.
SPEAKER_01That is so beautiful, and I can just see everything that you're talking about. You painted a beautiful picture. I I love trees, I love listening to them talk when they're blowing in the wind. Would you like to read another one?
SPEAKER_00Thank you. Thank you, yes. Um, I I have two more. I don't know how much time we have. Go ahead. We're good. Okay, wonderful. Um, this is this is a poem that I wrote, I started to write in Miami and finished it here in Newburn. As I mentioned um in our introductions, I moved here to uh get a sailboat, right? To meet a sailboat. And um I was inspired to write this poem, SALT, by my experiences um being on a pier and by this by the water, uh, and also in my hometown in South Florida, spending so much time by the Biscayne Bay. And this is a poem called Salt. Sparkling briny water, tickles under bellies of sleepy harbored sailboats with osseous mast protrusions, broadly brushed with awakened sails that catch the first breath of the sea and bring the boats alive. Creaking hulls list as sea swell raises suctioned barnacles, filling round mouths with Sylvia's ice cakes until impact of wet slaps echoing in harbor light breaks them loose to find final landing on slick black rock. Tidal fingertips reach towards light of waning moon, shedding diamonds, giving way to sun drying cracked, sprawling piers, extendling spindly arms bearing jewel ropes, wrapping around rusted hooks, mooring boats. Pier toes sink into earthen silt, stirred up by current, whirling its circle dance to Gaia's rhythm. Opaque pirouettes, appeasing peculiar life in leisurely flight, flora drifting to gaping mouths, and settling to the seabed. Very nice.
SPEAKER_01Very nice. Thank you. Now the uh the um the sailboat, what you were gonna move to Coconut Grove? Were you gonna sail the the oceans blue?
SPEAKER_00Well, we live down in that area, so um the idea was to uh come up here to uh New Bern, wherever that was. We had to look for it on Google maps, uh, and um get her ready and sail her down the Atlantic or the ICW, and um come back home to the Coconut Grove area. Okay. Um, but uh we decided to do it the other way around. And the the wonderful thing about this journey is the name of our boat, and uh she's named the talisman. Nice. So I thought it was just very fitting. Yes, so definitely so yes.
SPEAKER_01Now for everybody listen, tell them how they can follow you and keep up with your events that are gonna come up coming.
SPEAKER_00Oh, okay. Thank you. I do have an Instagram, Sheena PowellPoet, and a website, SheenapowellPoet.com. Um, so following me on those two mediums is really fantastic. And I do post my events there. There is an event that's going to be held August 14th, Friday, coinciding with Art Walk in downtown New Bern. And Michelle Garenfly and I are hosting a soapbox poetry. And this is where um calling all poets uh will invite our local poets to come step on top of the soapbox and air their odes, right? Um, share poetry for anyone that wants to listen and passers by. So it should be a really wonderful event starting at uh 5:30.
SPEAKER_01I just love Michelle. I've done a lot of things with her in the past, and it's been nice to watch her store grow and develop. She's certainly a gift to Newbron.
SPEAKER_00She really is. She really is, Rose. Um, we're good friends, and um, I look forward to collaborating with her on many different events in the future. And in fact, um in October, when my books come out, um, we're gonna I'm gonna have my first book signing at her store. So I feel nice, very honored to be there and and she's a treasure to me.
SPEAKER_01And for all you guys listening, Sheena's gonna be at Litfest 2026 at the Riverfront Convention Center with her new book. So I hope that you'll come and make it a point to come and see her because this would be a wonderful Christmas present ideas for those hard to buy for folks on your list.
SPEAKER_00I think so too. And I'm really looking forward to that Litfest. It's going to be so much fun, and I look forward to interacting with people that love books and uh all different types of genres and especially poetry. Um, and the the poems that I read today have to do with a lot with nature, um, little musical elements, but there's so many different types of poems in my book. Um, there's romantic poetry, uh, there's um funny poetry, humorous poetry, heartbreak poetry.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00So there's the theme is uh that goes through it is is polyhymnia, her her beautiful energy, and um the the the the spirit of all of my muses, my friends, my family, um, people here in in Newburn, my husband Jenko, and um so many other things and people that have inspired me along the way.
SPEAKER_01So everybody out there listening, remember if you want to order an advanced copy, tell us how to do that again.
SPEAKER_00Um, you can either go to sheenapowell.com, sorry, sheenapowellpoet.com, or directly to the publisher, finishinglinpress.com.
SPEAKER_01Very nice. Well, thank you so much for being on the show today. I really enjoyed getting to know you, and I look forward to talking with you again soon.
SPEAKER_00Thank you. Thank you. It was so lovely to meet you and talk to you too, Rose. And I look forward to many more good things.
SPEAKER_01Me too. And for you guys out there listening, as always, thank you so much for listening. Take care. I hope you enjoyed today's episode. Everybody has a story. Just let your mind drift away and find yours. I know it's out there. What are you waiting for?