Author: S. Westacott

One of the most valuable things I’ve discovered through 42nd St has been the importance of feeling heard, whether it’s by others or yourself. And something that’s been central throughout the work I have produced over my residency so far is spaces – whether it’s how our relationships with them have changed during lockdown, our emotional connections to certain places and the safe spaces we create for ourselves.

As a project within the Words To Grow Residency (which you can find an introduction to here) I am asking people to contribute ‘the seeds of a poem’. These don’t have to be pieces of poetry, themes or anything particularly profound – I’d just like to create a space where people can have a bit of a rant, share a fragment of their day or a snippet of their hopes/worries. I hope that the space itself is an opportunity to feel heard, whilst the resulting poetry brings a sense of connectivity. Whether it’s a long to-do list, a realisation you had on your morning walk or a moment of friendship you’ve experienced, you can share it anonymously via the Words To Grow blogspace!

These seeds will then be used to develop poetry which will be included within the Words To Grow zine and displayed through the online spaces for the residency - @wordstogrowresidency on Instagram and wordstogrowresidency.wordpress.com