We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ayjshane Winslett a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ayjshane, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I’ve always loved to write, my grandmother and mother realized that about me at a young age. I use to watch Def Jam Poetry as a kid and although I didn’t know the entire meaning of what the poets were saying, I did feel how they said it when they said it. I later would watch HBO’s Brave New Voices as a teenager with more understanding but I never thought myself one for the stage. When I started writing poetry I wrote slam. I had found the Austin Slam Poetry scene at 20 and finally felt like I could give it a shot. I found that I was pretty good, pretty fast but didn’t score well when it came to writing in the form of slam poetry. At the time I was really heartbroken that my work didn’t quite fit into what slam poetry was I received praise from my peers, audience members, touring artists, and others but scored not so well. I really felt like I tried poetry and it didn’t work for me. I could have just chosen to write and perform differently. I was so stubborn now that I’m thinking back on it, But to be fair to myself, I had just started writing poetry and I wanted to stay true to my newly developing voice. Now that I’ve taken another path in my career as a writer I can see more clearly how my time in slam poetry has severed me well. I will get on any stage and perform, I know how to keep the interest of a crowd, and how to hold my body and voice while performing. I learned to listen to others and understand what makes a poem move a person. I wouldn’t have learned that as thoroughly if not for the world of slam poetry.

Ayjshane, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a Black female writer and poet living in Austin, Texas. I write esoteric, spiritual, and nature based poetry inspired from my past experience, themes of life, and the mysteries of nature. I am a host and curator of Poetry on Tea leaves a Black, Brown, and Queer open mic and healing space. I created poetry on tea leaves out of a need in my heart for a safe, low stakes environment to read, speak, and perform poetry. I wanted a space that I could be around good hearted poetry lovers and a safe space for black , brown, and queer people to be open and honest. I feel really honored to be able to host the event inside of West China Tea House. We have an herbal and caffeinated tea at every service, I love tea.

I currently working on my newest collection of poetry Oceans Inside Us. A collection of poetry about coming clean to the ocean and asking for transmutation, It will be a follow up to my “All of Space” which is an esoteric collection of poetry about life death and space.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I would have stuck out school when I was younger if we are being honest right now. I was already going to college for creative writing or some writing major I know I would have changed to creative writing. I’m in school now pursing my masters but I do wish I had the support or resources to have finished earlier but you know everything happens for a reason and I am enjoying my time in school now that I’m a little older.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I just wanna stay consistent and true to myself, I have to write. I have to create. I have to. It’s not a question it’s a need. So I stay true to that. I take my time to write my poetry and write my poetry. If I do that, I’m honoring myself. I will always share my work and I always crave to hear the work of others. It’s food for my soul. My goal is to stay true to that. Everything else will work its way out in my mind and make sense one way or another.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/poetry-on-tea-leaves-tickets-382157091147
• Instagram: @ayjshane

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