Featured poet: Andreena Leeanne
28 April 2022
poempoemspoetryAndreena is a writer, poet, and lived experience speaker. She speaks passionately and accessibly about intersectionality, discrimination, authenticity, and allyship. We had a great chat with her about her book Charred – A survivor speaks her truth to inspire.
Did you know that charred wood is actually stronger? Neither did we! As Andreena explained, the charring process brings out properties deep inside the wood which make it more resilient. The perfect title then for Andreena’s book, which is all about resilience through the challenges she has faced, and overcome. Her book was shortlisted for a Polari First Book Prize in 2021.
As Andreena says: “I write how I speak, so much poetry can be really inaccessible, you don’t know what they’re talking about.” Her aim is to bring her experiences to life through creative writing and to help others to do the same too.
Here are two of her poems which she has kindly allowed us to feature in this blog:
Speak your truth
it’s okay to laugh
it’s okay to cry
it’s okay to hide
it’s okay, take time
it’s gonna hurt
speak your truth
it’s okay to feel
it’s okay to bleed
it’s okay to weep
it’s okay, go deep
it’s gonna hurt
speak your truth
it’s okay to hug
it’s okay to love
it’s okay to fight
it’s okay to resist
it’s gonna hurt
speak your truth
it’s okay to be open
it’s okay to be broken
it’s okay to be vulnerable
people may not like it
people may not like you
people may not like themselves
it’s gonna hurt
speak your truth
Solidarity
Me one, me two, me three
we are not free until we are all free
what happened to you
what happened to me
cannot go unseen
we are not free until we are all free
adding my voice to the conversation
I will not be silenced
don’t silence me
i will speak
i will be heard
we are not free until we are all free
this is solidarity.
As well as speaking about lived experience, Andreena is passionate about self-care and creativity, and facilitates workshops on these topics. In addition, she runs Poetry LGBT, an open mic night in London. Find out about dates and tickets