Poems For My People

<p><em>This is a collection of poetry I wrote primarily in a live setting whilst doing typewriter poetry busking in private parties and events. Every poem is written for a specific individual as requested by the recipient of the poem. Some poems were written as gifts requested for a loved one.</em></p><p></p><p>Monday 12 May 2025</p><p></p><p>Dear Friend</p><p></p><p>Something I've realised in writing hundreds of poems for people in multiple countries and settings is that a shared experience creates meaning in a relationship. I chose to call this rainbow collection of poetry Poems For <em>My</em> People because once we've shared the experiential process of me writing you a poem you become my people. We're connected in some way or another.</p><p></p><p>I used to be scared about calling people friend.</p><p></p><p>I had a pretty formational experience when I was in fourth grade about ten years old. I had come back to my classroom from lunch to grab my jacket for recess. During this moment I witnessed a girl from my class holding an apple whilst saying to another girl <em>Let's give this apple to the teacher and say it's from everyone except Molly.</em></p><p></p><p>I have no idea why she did this or what was really going on. What I do know is this moment of experience cemented a lie and subsequent way of being in my unconscious. <em>I don't belong. I'll never have friends. Something is wrong with me.</em> I had many other painful and repeated similar experiences in childhood in my family and amongst so-called safe adults. </p><p></p><p>It's hard to know what happened but what I remember is learning and living in response to:</p><p><em>Nobody will understand what's going on so don't tell them about your life </em>(even though I probably needed someone who I could feel safe enough in their company to process my life with).</p><p></p><p><em>You should just spend time with kids your age</em> (even though they were mean to me).</p><p></p><p><em>Do you know what that's called? It's called brown-nosing. So you need to stop trying to get the attention of your teachers </em>(even though some of my teachers were the only people who felt safe).</p><p></p><p>I'm sure you can think of times when you began to believe you weren't [fill-in-the-blank-with-your-insecurites].</p><p></p><p>As a result of these mounting experiences I made the meaning that I wouldn't belong no matter who I approached and that I'd never be a good friend. It was a belief of not belonging and a choice to create emotional and social distance between myself and literally everyone else-even though I longed to have friends and be a good friend.</p><p></p><p>Instead of being afraid that you might hurt me or suck the life out of me and then avoiding you until I couldn't anymore I began living from a perspective shift: a culture of invitation and curiosity. What if you <em>were</em> my friend?</p><p></p><p>I examined my hopes and desires for friendship and began to do the things that a good friend would do and I began to declare believe and live out my transformative commitment to myself and others: <em>I am a great friend.</em></p><p></p><p>And so my dear reader I'm delighted that we can be friends here on the page. Thank you for being here.</p><p></p><p>I hope that you receive the invitation I'm extending to you as you read this blue collection: create a connection with a friend and be open to exploring how the poems in these pages inspire opportunities for friendships new and old and both day-to-day chats and hours of deep dives.</p><p></p><p>May you live with intention to join me to be a great friend.</p><p></p><p>Thanks again and...Happy reading! </p><p>Molly</p>