On Poetry & Prose: An Interview with Morgan Harper Nichols
More complex than any single definition, poetry is an expression of self through words. As poetry evolves with the times and collides with prose and other forms of art, it is written more and more without structured forms in favor of true freedom for this self-expression.
Morgan Harper Nichols is such an artist and poet whose work is inspired by real-life interactions and stories. For National Poetry Month, Morgan shares her experience and thoughts on the world of poetry and writing.
As a child, Morgan recalls being constantly surrounded by notebooks and other writing materials. “Writing quickly became a way for me to express my creativity,” she mentioned. “It felt like a natural outlet for me and I’m grateful my parents gave me the space and opportunity to explore writing, as it’s become an essential part of who I am today.”
Having always been inspired by the writings of others, Morgan remembers hearing Maya Angelou read her poetry and felt as though she was experiencing life through her words. “Her poetry felt true to life, and it reflected real-world experiences in a way that was both impactful and inspiring.” Even writers like C.S. Lewis who wrote about fantastical worlds in his Chronicles of Narnia had a way of sparking her imagination and encouraging her to think big.
Seeing how poetry and the written word had the ability to inspire and make a difference in people’s lives, Morgan shared, “In many ways, I feel like becoming a writer myself is a way of passing on that inspiration to others. By sharing my own stories, I hope to encourage others to use their imaginations in new and exciting ways. Imagination is important. In order to make a difference, we need hope. And to have hope, we need to be able to imagine a better world. We need to feel like change is possible. Words have the power to stir up that sense of imagination and possibility. They can transport us… and make us feel things we wouldn’t otherwise be able to feel. Even from a young age, words have the power to inspire us and give us hope for the future.”
In an ever-busy world filled with constant change, Morgan expressed that sometimes though it can be hard to feel what we write and share can actually have an impact. “I have definitely experienced this before, but ultimately what brings me back to reality is when someone tells me that something I wrote encouraged them to write about their own experiences. To me, it’s encouraging and hopeful to see others being inspired to write and share their story with others.”
Morgan spoke of her aspiration to see other women use poetry and prose to express their voice. “Growing up as a Black girl in the US can be tough. It seems like everywhere you look, there’s another message telling you that your voice doesn’t matter as much as others. It can be easy to feel alone in dealing with this kind of discrimination. There were many great women writers who came before us and persisted in writing and sharing their voices and stories… By reading their work and hearing their stories, we can remember that our voices do matter – even when it feels like the world is trying to tell us otherwise.”
Her advice is to keep writing! “You never know who your words will reach or what impact you might make… There are so many ways to make a difference, internally and externally, when it comes to writing and you are more equipped than you may think. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed in a world where we are constantly bombarded with information and social media has popularized short form content. But there is also a need for longer form content that allows us to slow down and process information. In an age of information overload, longer form writing can provide a much needed respite. It allows us to engage with ideas in a deeper way, and also helps us to appreciate the beauty of language.”
As poetry speaks to us all in many ways, Morgan shared that there are so many poems that speak to her, but as of late, a particular part of “A Litany for Survival” by Audre Lorde stands out to her:
“So it is better to speak
remembering
we were never meant to survive.”
“As a descendant of slaves in America, it was just a few generations ago in my own family bloodline where there were anti-literacy laws. Just a few generations ago, someone who looks like me wouldn’t have been able to read or write. I reflect on this often when I’m creating. I don’t take it for granted that I get to do this and I’m fully aware this small act of writing poetry is an act of resistance in that way, and I am so grateful to those who have paved the way for me and so many others.”
To end, Morgan shared one of the main reasons she is most passionate about writing: “I believe it has the power to inspire others to share their voice too. It is my hope that through what I write, I am able to inspire others to use their voice. Of course we are not all going to share in the same capacity and we won’t all be able to cover every topic, but I believe together, we can share from our many different lived experiences and create a beautiful mosaic filled with rich diversity.”
You can find out more about Morgan on her website or follow her and her work over on Instagram.
Tikvah is a copy editor who has loved good stories for as long as she can remember. She loves words and believes that they have the power to change the world. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing poetry, taking photographs and drinking coffee.
