Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rick Writes . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rick , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I actually had that chance before and unfortunately, I squandered it. I don’t regret much, if anything, but not taking poetry seriously when I was 19 years old was definitely some character development for me.

In the same light, I had to go and experience the eclectic life that I have in order to be an effective poet.
My poems now are full of life from living in 14 homes, 5 states, and South Korea. My poems are full of 2 deployments and the wins and failures I experienced. They are full of relationship, friendships, and fatherhood.

They try and mend heartache, and loss. They try and encourage maturity. It is also filed by an ambition that can only be contained by time.

19 year old me was worried about the wrong things and probably would have been a poet who needed a lot of help.
Now I’m hopeful to be a poet that can help.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Rick Writes, I am a Spoken Word performance artist based out of Las Vegas. I am currently on the slam poetry team called “Spotlight.” specifically,
“The Reigning Monarchs”
as we do have two teams.

I have been writing poetry since I was 14 years old, considering myself a professional poet is a wolf thought but a dream come true.

I’m currently in the process of finalizing my menu but some of the things that will be included in the future will be things like
Poetry event feature and event host.

Some thing I also envision is helping people write speeches.
I helped write one of my best friend’s valedictorian speech when I was much younger.
I’d like to see if I can offer the same service for say-
A proposal, a Best Man /Maid of Honor speech, wedding vows, retirement speech, and so on.

What I’m hopeful for is a secure phone call where I can learn mostly general details and a few important details so I can do my best to bring myself into the moment. That is a goal of mine that I try to embody within my mantra of “Universally Personally.”

Sometimes people just aren’t to sure how to convey their feelings and I want to be able to help them to do that with some of the biggest moments in their life.

I truly believe that if I were trusted with one of these incredible events, that the words we come up with together will stand the test of time.

A couple of the things I am most proud of would be my poem I performed at the Chicharra Poetry Festival final stage titled “Incoming.”

This is a poem that I needed to write to help me get over some of the things I was exposed to during my career.
I had a veteran approach me, in tears, and tell me “thanks brother, now I have to write mine.”
Hearing you inspired someone is one of the greatest compliments that an artist can receive.

If all goes to plan, I will be releasing it on memorial day.

Something else I’m extremely proud of is my first ever curated event.
I did a poetry showcase at beautiful Red Rock Canyon In Las Vegas, It was a very unique event,
I asked nine of the best poets in Las Vegas to join me and a good 50+ people showed up. I received some good feedback and saw that I potentially could do more in the future.

Something that I want people to know about me is that I have a work ethic that Is one of my staples. People have called me a lot of things in my life but no one ever could ever call me lazy.
Thanks to Mom and Dad for that.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I had to get my spine fused after my first deployment. I had to add some extra equipment on an aircraft that needed to leave rather quickly, and unfortunately, that equipment was rather heavy. Going up the incline of the ladder, I was forced to mostly lay it on my hip. When I got to the top, I felt a pop came back and I was scheduled for an x-ray within a couple weeks of me getting home.
It absolutely changed my life. Sometimes I think for the worst but I did write a poem about that titled
“Bounce Back.” That’s published with @the.unsealed.
The following is an excerpt;

“I came back to the states and didn’t know that I was in for the change of my life,
for the next four months, I was forboding going under the knife.

“But I’m 22, I’m in incredible shape,”

“I’m sure you are son, but you see this X-ray? This is a clear break.”

“You made a mistake, it was just some discomfort , I only felt a pinch”

Dr said, “I can tell you’re upset I’m gonna give you a bit. “

There I sat, main character to my own horror movie, blood became curdling,

The words escaped my lips like death row inmates –
“I’m getting surgery!”

I also wrote another poem, called “Temple” that helps promote honoring our bodies despite any of their afflictions. I was not very kind to my body for a long time after my various injuries but I realize that despite everything it’s gone through, I’m still walking up right.

People are so obsessed with the way that we look rather than the way that we feel I’m hopeful to do an event centered around wellness one day, purposeful movement and poetry.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I want to help cultivate creativity and confidence In other people. I can say with the latter about the former, that everyone has it. It is just a matter of acknowledging it, and expressing that said, creativity. when people are in a flow state where they do what they enjoy , it tends to blend well into other areas of their life. I truly believe in our creative sides no matter what they are, can create an elevated experience.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rick__writes?igsh=MTFxcW1nZmp1enFxNA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Other: https://theunsealed.com/members/rickwrites/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0BMQABpkV6j0D0tgXfrx96wGrpiS6FgkQJ_S3wtQD6NcCmAtqUGDCuM5rPpa3ePw_aem_AYaRFJ3SLzVBHUzqZgcQcW-u6atbbOn2wu19NPREeoSzdPBo6KeSQBSP6PeinNmDztY

Image Credits
https://www.instagram.com/mcardenasphotography?igsh=ZHphc2prNjE3b2hu https://www.instagram.com/imagesbyrosa?igsh=M2IzMTkyczlhcGQ= https://www.instagram.com/sopapillaproductions?igsh=ODdmZnV4Ym1iY3N1