My Journey Through Poetry

About the Book

My Journey through Poetry is a journey to self acceptance and discovery in the eyes of a teen fed up with the effects of the world on self-esteem. This collection of poems is an easy read allowing you to revisit those trying teenage years. Each poem holds its own message, its own story.

In order for us to grow as people, we have to connect to the past, learn from our struggles and allow the hard times to give us strength for the future. My Journey through Poetry gives you that chance. Someone has been in your shoes and is there to help you triumph. My Journey through Poetry harnesses the belief that life gets better; there is light at the end of the tunnel. It’s not about how you finish but the journey you have getting there.

About the Author

Simone Nikkole is a poet, spoken word artist, author, songwriter and child advocate. Having written over 300 poems inspired from her personal experiences and life situations, two of those poems, "Life" and "Me", received Honorable Mention from the 2001 New Jersey Art/Literary Competition. Simone Nikkole also finds herself inspired by her friends’ struggles and triumphs. She was featured in Signatures, Rochester Institute of Technology's annually published undergraduate art and literature magazine. The 2008 edition of Signatures, during one of the 3 years she was literary editor, won a Gold Crown Award from Columbia University Scholastic Press Association. Simone Nikkole also showcased her work in two poetry chapbooks, The Theatre of the Mind and Clouds Across the Stars. She has done many readings and performances at churches, schools, and different cultural events throughout the Rochester, New York area such as RIT and Rochester Poets: Poets Under 25. Her passion for poetry led her to attend "A Night Out With Maya Angelou", "An Evening with Yusef Komunyakaa", RochesterInk's "Poetry in Fusion" with Dorianne Laux and Ray Gonzalez, and a poetry workshop with Sean Thomas Dougherty. She is currently performing at open mics around New York City, working on a few other collections - experimenting with the use of Spanish and different poetic forms - while attending graduate school for Mental Health Counseling at Teachers College, Columbia University.