Today we’d like to introduce you to Robyn Hager

Hi Robyn, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

I was born and raised in the suburbs of New Jersey and left as soon as I graduated high school to pursue my passion for writing in New York state. High school was a tumultuous time for me; battling with depression, anxiety and severe self confidence issues I found writing to be an escape from my own internal monologue. When I first picked up a pen and wrote a poem, I never thought these short, choppy lines and line breaks, interspersed with metaphor, rhyme and alliteration would develop into the arsenal of poems I have today.

Poetry itself is not a sustainable career choice, and I’ve always understood this. Despite this, I was determined to develop my voice and understand what it is I am supposed to tell the world: why is MY story special? And it’s ever-developing. It was through an undergraduate and masters program and, most importantly, real life experience, that I was able to grasp at the outer reaches of what this is.

Today, I am a full-time journalist providing independent, local news to a community that cares about what I have to say. And the best part about my job is that it takes the self completely out of my writing (something so totally opposite of my poetic voice). These two voices contrast and blend with each other, resulting in the strong, empowered voice I feel I have today.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

Of course not!

A lot of my struggles revolved around your run-of-the-mill mental health issues that teens battle with, and this combined with dealing with the death of a family member at an especially rough time in my teenage years did not help with everything I was already struggling with.

Encountering freedom for the first time when I came to college was both a relief and when I started to lose control of myself and made a lot of bad decisions. Simultaneously, it was during this time, what I believe to be my lowest, that I finally understood what my purpose was as a writer: to show people my true, authentic self. No matter how much I was struggling in my personal life, my writing was a way for me to channel all of that turmoil into art. It was the first time in my life I felt that instead of my feelings existing within an internal vacuum, I was able to release them in a way that was both articulate and poetic. It was totally liberating.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I am a full-time journalist but prefer to be seen as a poet. My poetry is free verse, focusing on the saga of my life. I see my entire collection of work as one long poem of my life, spanning thousands of fragmented parts reflecting on my daily life, my observations, struggles, love and aspirations. I wouldn’t say I’m ‘known’ for my writing, but I have been running an open mic event for the past two and a half years and am an active participant in open mics in the Hudson Valley as a whole.

My open mic, called White Noise, has provided me with an outlet to share my work with others and learn more about art from the other talented performers that grace the stage. I believe that this open mic has both empowered and allowed me to channel my voice onto a platform that is mutually beneficial with the crowd and has thus provided me with the means to create a community of like-minded creatives who all have the same goal in mind: to break through the white noise of our daily lives and share our art with the world.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?

Use your fuel as fodder. The hurt that strikes a cord and intensifies our internal dilemmas is simultaneously part of the ignition to our creative enterprise. Instead of letting these battles get the best of us, use them to your advantage, finding the meaning amidst the chaos. I wish I knew that these moments are a part of what helps strengthen the muscle of our souls and allows us see through the blinding light of normalcy. It’s all about taking these lived experiences and building a story out of them!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://atestamenttomyself.com
• Instagram: robynhager, atestamenttomyself, whitenoisegk