By Elvis Alves
She stands at the microphone and says civility is
needed in politics. But that is not enough. She
goes on to say that insanity has taken over human-
ity. The audience erupts with laughter. Corrupt
police officers burst in and arrest her with hand-
cuffs. She lingers in jail for days without bail.
The system eventually sets her free without
charges. She had to pay a fine and her mind
was not the same. Humans, or any other animals,
were not created for cages. She takes a break
from the public. Her life becomes a shadow of
her past self. Deep down an ocean churns in her
stomach. With water there is life. With life there
is hope. She tells herself this not in hiding but
where she can collect her thoughts.
The Importance of Arts, Culture & The Creative Process
As a poet, art is life for me. It is what I breathe. I create to connect with people. When this happens, the world is a better place for everyone.
What was the inspiration for your creative work?
I constantly think of the artist as a creative and the toll that this can take at times, especially if you are creating art that is political in nature. This piece reminds the artist to fight but also to rest, and that this rest will help her to continue to fight.
Tell us something about the natural world that you love and don’t wish to lose. What are your thoughts on the kind of world we are leaving for the next generation?
I think that the natural world is inherently beautiful. However, greed seeks to destroy it. I hope that through art people would take back what belongs to them, and that is a world where they are not casualties of greed. I am hopeful that the next generation would continue to make progress in taking care of the world (nature) as much as the world takes care of them.
