Ode to the Poets and the Loveliest Orange Kitten in the World
Poetry is Alive is a project born out of grief, pain, love, and hope. After losing my beloved childhood friend Arya (a fluffy, white-orange cat with the sweetest voice, strongest paws, and a judgmental attitude), I needed something to remain alive. You do not go to poetry and writing—they come to you, and some children escape to their pens and papers, holding it like a life’s essence. Thus, I felt an urge to spread a phrase that had been lingering in my mind for a long time: “Poetry shall live,” now turned into “Poetry is Alive.” Luckily, I met great friends and fellow poets along this journey. Now, we hold monthly meetings about a wide variety of themes: hope, love, grief, spring, and we aim to keep those words alive and let everyone know that their emotions and words matter.
Dear poet and reader, thank you for feeling so deeply in such a world of apathy, and wanting to live your truth – connecting with others; there is a realm that can embody you, your dreams, and your world dearly. When all else fails, poetry is alive, and your verse matters in this life. In times when cruelty becomes normal, we aim to care and be compassionate, which could be perceived as rather radical.
Whether you are just discovering poetry or have already attempted murder on sentences and mundanity with your sword-like pen, you are welcome here to pause and connect with life again. I hope we can have a space to create, read, and exist together, and slow down the time ruthlessly passing through our bones and wrinkles. This platform is and shall remain open for every poet who wishes to submit their work. This project is a nonprofit, voluntary, and social endeavor, and it will always remain as such. I must thank my dear mother, who made us believe in books, dreams, and the power of words, and the first poet who trusted me and immediately said okay to this journey: my dear friend E. Ergin! I also owe a big applause to all my mentors, friends, and the amazing people making all cold places a cozy home for me. May our pens and hearts always bring us together, no matter the distance. Last but not least, thank you, Arya, for teaching me unconditional love, perseverance, strength, and compassion. You were and always will be my wonderwall.
Sincerely yours,
Işıl Ayça Akkuş, the founder.
SUBMISSIONS:
Submit your poems to poetryisaliveproject@gmail.com and indicate your name or nickname. All poems belong to the poets, and Poetry is Alive claims no rights to this intellectual property. Please read terms of use for more information, and contact with us for any remaining questions.
Please include:
– Your poem
– Your preferred name or nickname for attribution
– Confirmation that this is your original work
– You can choose a song to share with your poem, we can embed the spotify link with it.
Your Rights
– You retain full copyright of your work
– We display your poem with proper credit to you
– You can request removal anytime
– We never claim ownership of submitted poems
By submitting, you grant us permission to share your work on our website, social media, and at our events always with attribution to you.
Questions? Email us at poetryisaliveproject@gmail.com
Disclaimer: “Poetry is Alive” is a protected name. Unauthorized use of our name or branding is prohibited.
Poetry is Alive. 