Poetry Workshop
Poetry with T! <3
In this workshop, we were joined by our talented Tisania Francis-Smith: a multifaceted female creative who is known in the Toronto community for her many forms of creative expressions, one being a poetry workshop facilitator. Through engaging and interactive writing exercises, the girls were able to express their connection with female empowerment as well as have fun learning and exploring the various writing styles introduced by T. Below, kindly find the poems each participant shared regarding the topic of female empowerment and what it means to them:
Whose life is that? I think I know.
Its owner is quite sad though.
It is a tale of woe,
I watch her frown. I cry hello.
She gives her head a shake,
And screams I've made a bad mistake.
The only other sound's the break,
Of distant waves and birds awake.
Her life is powerless, Free, and deep,
But she has promises to keep,
After cake and lots of sleep.
Sweet dreams come to her cheap.
She rises from her bitter bed,
With thoughts of violence in her head,
A flash of rage and she sees red.
Without a pause, she turned and fled.
She idolizes being dead.
Facing the day with never-ending dread.
With thoughts of revenge in her head,
She eats her jam with lots of bread.
Not ready for the day ahead.
Whose life is that? I think I know.
A woman's.
- Mahjabin, "A Woman"
She was destined for success
But not success
In the sense of riches and statues
But success in the sense
That her soul and spirit gave her
The strength and courage to have an impact on the planet
And the way it shook.
- Slimat
Up until she steps up, contracts her muscles, and projects her voice, everyone desires a strong woman.
She is suddenly overwhelming.
She lost track of where she was.
In your dreams and ideals, you adore those women.
Not as much as breathing, living people that pose a threat of
being even greater than you ever could be.
- Raidha
Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head so she could go learn
Rosa Parks said no so she could be treated like everyone else
Annie Besant marched so those killer matches wouldn't burn
Viola Desmond stayed up front and never repelled
So tell me about how you’re tired fighting for your side
When these women did all they could, to fight for our lives
Tell me life is hard and that you give up
Tell me you wish you were a man and that you don’t care for triumph
Tell me that school is hard and your parents are annoying
When these women did everything they could to keep us from dying.
- Sameeha
Anna Connelly invented the fire escape to help people live
Letitia Geer wanted to save people so she made the medical syringe
The computer software was made by Dr. Grace Murray Hopper
Ruth Bader Ginsburg became a lawyer to fight for women so the law couldn't stop her
Stop complaining when you think life is being rude
Maya Angelou once said
“If you don’t like something change it, and if you can’t change it then change your attitude.
We have 4 stages in life: a daughter, sister, wife and mother.
Yet somehow they’re looked upon as wild,
Not knowing that we all come from them.
We smile through our teary eyes.
While leaving behind the mystery prize.
Always wanting to help others, while asking none in return.
We are women. We are women, we love, care, and hope for better.
Leave behind the scars, leave behind the tears, leave behind the sorrows.
We are of a greater authority when it comes to us.
Cause pain shapes us into a warrior.
- Tasnim, "We are Women"
They are the reason of our existence,
An important part of society.
Women can be fragile and strong,
They can be easy And hard.
Women can be housewives and an entrepreneur
They can love and hate too.
They have a voice and a mind,
Which forms into universities and dishwashers.
Women love to be a princess,
But a princess of her own kingdom
not Waiting for a prince charming to save her,
Because as we said,
If a woman wants, she can do wonders.
- Laiba, "Women can do Wonders"
A seed is planted
A girl is born
Sun is shining and water is poured on the seed
The girl is taken care of by the mother
The roots grow in
The baby grows
The stems start to form
The girl loves herself endlessly
The petals start to grow in
The girl is confident about who she is
The flower blooms no matter how many thorns are in the way
The girl is delicate but fierce
The flower's blossoms fly as the wind carries them through the sky
The girl rise and soars as a mother, a sister, and a daughter
Women are like flowers
- Maryam, "Women are like Flowers"
“Her eyes are blue while your eyes are brown, hers represents the ocean while yours represents the ground, you never liked your eyes and wanted them to be blue. This is what society made us do. What do I see when I’m looking at me? I see a girl that wants to be free.
It’s not about the straight hair, I don't have the thighs, my lashes aren’t perfect, and I feel so shy. “Slim down, eat less, suck in, have chests,” all these words are constantly whispered down my neck. It makes me ask myself, am I good enough yet?
Does my skinniness offend you? Do my curves affect you? Society is like a game, always telling me to change. Now all I’m left with is some pain. What do I do because society tells me I’m not pretty if I don’t overdue. Let me be that voice inside your head, that says don't be a Barbie nor a ken. You are so precious, you are a gem, I see your beauty, the end.
-Fatima, "Beauty Standards"
We are fierce, and powerful.
No matter what we speak or what we say.
The way we work and the way we dress, why should that all matter.
All it matters is that we have our own choices, and voices that can speak for themselves.
As long as we know we are women who have freedom within ourselves.
As long as we know we are not wrong but we are strong,
We must carry one another ahead,
Our lifeline will come if we stand together. For we are one!
- Ryesha, "For We Are One"
She walks around with confidence although she has lots of worries,
but she’s not phased by a little flurry
- Muntaha
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