Celebrating Young Storytellers: Eniath’s Prep Creative Writing Competition Awards
Written by Radeyah H. Ali At Scribbles and Quills Limited, stories are at the heart of everything we do. That
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Written by Shari Mitchell
There is no better way to begin one’s weekend, than with a Scribbles and Quills event!
Well, that’s what 11 poets did when they chose to kickstart their Saturday evening with us at our poetry social, Stanza 5.
Now, this community event is unlike any other.
This intimate gathering of introspective voices feels like a warm hug once you’ve listened to each poet speak the words that came from his or her heart.
Yes, you read that correctly – our poetry socials are not a “sit-back-and-listen” type of event.
All of our poets, who are typically introverted beings in their day-to-day lives, suddenly transform into social butterflies as they read their poetry, and melt into the safe space we create.
The moment you enter, you are immediately invited into the experience.
The evening’s carefully-curated itinerary set the tone for all of us:
Additionally, on arrival each guest was greeted with our running poem of the night.
Each guest had the opportunity to contribute one line to an anonymous, collaborative chain of thought, which, by the end of the event, would be read aloud.
This was a gentle but intentional reminder that everyone has something to say, and thoughts combined can produce some of the most beautiful pieces of poetry.
We certainly had our work cut out for us!
As each guest settled in and got comfortable, our distinguished host for the evening, and fellow poet, Justyn Pierre, began with three readings from his book of poetry, “Ephemeral Euphoria”.
With poetic stories of love and loss, his unrushed, gentle, guided voice warmed us up to the night’s proceedings, and eased us into a space where vulnerability, openness and self-expression would soon take center stage.
As his final poem came to a close, and the first finger snaps of the evening erupted across the room, you could see the shift in body language almost immediately – seats quieted, shoulders leaned forward, faces grew serious, and the air became attentive – ready for its next poet.
The first poet to bravely step forward, Nicholas Gilbert, did not hold back on us.
His poem “The Soroptimist” confronted domestic violence head-on, not just as an act, but as a symptom of how men are socialized.
According to his emotive words and life experiences, men are taught certain values from birth such as control, power and silence.
But the message of his first poem cut through clearly – you can be a masculine, powerful man without violence or control over others.
His second piece, “A New Picture,” expanded that narrative, in which he painted masculinity not as a forceful attribute, but as one of nurture and care. Masculinity and gentleness can co-exist.
His delivery was animated, passionate, performative, bold. It certainly peeled his poetry off its pages and brought it to life. As if he knew the words by heart, it did not feel like reading in the slightest.
We were all moved.
To contrast the energetic height of the room, our second poet, Gillena Cox, brought with her a gentler pace.
From her book of poetry, “Pink Crush”, she read “Morning Glory” and “Rainbows”, which both felt like a breath of crisp, fresh air.
Inspired by stream-of-consciousness thought and her love of rainbows simultaneously, her words flowed tenderly, carefully – almost like raindrops falling on wet petals.
Her soft poetry reminds us that not every poem demands intensity, some simply remind you to live feelingly in the wonder of the present moment.
Thereafter, Sandra Singh Persad took the stage with her poem, “Rise Up”.
Rooted deeply in faith, her words weren’t just rhythmic – they were affirming for all in attendance.
“Stay near The Cross and you will never get lost”, she said.
Those words sent a clear message to us all – you do not need validation from outside sources to prove your worth, your God-given identity does not need the approval of others, and hope can exist even when you feel despair.
At one point, Nicholas echoed his takeaway as such, “forget the in-between and focus on the Supreme”, and this sums up her message perfectly.
Anchored by the reminder of faith in times of despair, and as if perfectly orchestrated, our next poet, Nirmala Jagoo-Lalla, read “The Matriarch” from her book of poems, “Of Love & Life”. This body of work is a tribute to her mother, which she holds close to her heart.
Her mother, who suffered with dementia – a disease that is familiar to many – heavily influenced her vulnerable poetry which speaks of steady decline, forgetfulness, and the slow unraveling of memory.
But also, of deep love between a daughter and her mother.
It was impossible to listen to her beautifully-written, descriptive words and not feel a knot in your chest.
Now, before he even began, Carlos Antoine, our next poet, said something that completely resonated with the entire room.
“Poetry is my therapy.”
This proved true, as he read from his own book of poetry, a piece called, “A Caterpillar’s Prayer”. This work traced his evolution from caterpillar to butterfly beautifully, as he described his journey from comparison with others to growth, and from self-limitation to mental transformation.
Sharing his story in this way, was felt by everyone who could relate to feelings of self-sabotage, comparing oneself to others, or succumbing to limiting beliefs in their own lives.
His second poem, “Cycle of Depression,” shifted the energy again, but this time into something heavier and more vulnerable.
It was a tribute to a cousin lost to self-harm.
He shared that their familial relationship was a story of connection that began unexpectedly, and ended too soon, and this openness sparked many thoughts across the room.
As such, the conversation that followed amongst the group, following this piece, was raw.
The talking points were clear: Talk to someone if you are struggling so you don’t carry the burden alone.
Following this, there was something full-circle about Honor Ramdeo’s moment.
The poet began by thanking Scribbles and Quills for hosting events such as Poetry Stanza because it provided her a safe forum to share her voice and her poetry confidently. She has been a part of our Poetry Socials since inception.
Then she read two pieces from her book of poetry, “Ever a Never After” – “Lost in the Ocean” and “I Will Follow You to the End of the World”.
Her words painted vivid imagery for us, and caused us to question the relationship between solitude and connection.
“Are we really alone?”, we were left to ponder.
She then ended with a piece from her upcoming collection called “The Seasons”, which reminded us to honour every phase of life because no season of life that we experience is wasted or meaningless. Each one is a stepping stone to our own growth and evolution, and as such, it is all beautiful, worthwhile, and serves a purpose, just like nature’s seasons.
As if saving the best for last, just when the room felt pregnant with intensity, reflection, and emotional depth – Shermala Basdeo stepped in.
Her poem on identity – the flow of being an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert – was playful, quirky, deeply relatable, and so funny!
The room erupted with laughter at her rendition and ability to bring humour to her quirks, and this was just the perfect ending.
We were reminded at this moment that poetry doesn’t always have to feel deep or dark, it can be fun, playful and light as well.
To close the evening, the collaborative chain poem, built line by line by every guest, was read aloud, and as our host, Justyn, reflected on the night, he captured it perfectly:
“There was both beauty and sadness in everything we shared”.
This is the one space where you truly feel heard and listened to…where what you have to say matters and has a place.
It reminded us that poetry is not just something you simply read and forget about.
It is something you feel. Something you see. Something you carry. Something that lingers long after it’s read. Something that connects.
Once the final words were spoken, however, the structured evening melted.
What began as something that felt almost like a literature class transformed into a true social mixer – a gathering of like-minded souls who had just witnessed each other’s truths.
Drinks were poured.
Snacks were passed around.
Names were signed into the guest book.
Connections were made.
No one felt like a stranger anymore.
It’s only been a week, but poets already cannot wait for the next one.
Written by Radeyah H. Ali At Scribbles and Quills Limited, stories are at the heart of everything we do. That
Written by Shari Mitchell Are you a budding author, with dreams of seeing your book on bookshelves around the world,