Mocha Butterfly

Poet & Writer

Paradox

Carlos "Paradox" Valentin has been writing poems since 2004. He has been published three times during his time in high school in a poetry contest. Currently he is in his fourth year of college at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has his Associates degree in Advanced Mathematics and is continuing his schooling to gain his Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design and a minor in American Sign Language. His poetry has come to revolve around the beauty of nature, love and the unknown. Each poem has been inspired by someone or something special in his life.

Akilah Aisha

Akilah Aisha's been writing since a child.With vivid imagination & alone time, writing expressed pinned up emotions & her hopes & desires for the future.Her first theatrical performances were in childhood writing scripts, directing & starring in them.She dove into short stories & poetry expressing feelings she couldn't say aloud.She sought to become an author making ambitious goals of transforming her childhood pastime to film. Currently, Akilah's working on a debut novel, having written 2 screenplays, & dozens of spoken word pieces. “Writing is cathartic, an inner glimpse in my heart."

Joshua Emmanuel

Joshua Emmanuel has been writing poetry since the death of his adoptive mother when he was just 14. He is orginially from South Carolina after 14 years there he moved to New Jersey. His poetry is inspired by his faith in Jesus Christ and the trials he experience throughout his life. Joshua is currently working on his first poetry book, “Psalms of Joshua Emmanuel: Poetry through the fire” while studying Liberal Arts at Brookdale Community College. “I encourage others to keep the faith and not give up because the best is yet to come.”

Greg Marseille

Gregory Marseille, a 20 yr old native New Yorker attending Stony Brook Univ, began writing love poems in the 10th grade after hearing a poem entitled “Type love”. Writing brought relief to him;Love poems became life poems and life poems examples from my life. Greg’s subjects include what he sees, thinks and opinions from others that inspire him to pick up the pen. He often kept writing poetry a secret because of its personal nature and he wasn’t ready to share it. His attitude changed after hearing poets known as “The strivers row”.He has many interests but poetry will stay with him forever

Drea Starling

Anne White

WordSmith

WordSmith is a 32 year old married mother of 3 born and raised in Harlem who resides in Brooklyn. She is CEO/Director of "I Treasure", a mentorship program for teenage girls. She loves the style of poetry and is a member and secretary of the Poem Ministry at her church, Love Fellow Tabernacle. Her poems are for "the Glory and Testimony of [her] life to God." She has been writing since 1999 and has earned another pen name, "Anointed Hands." "With the pen, I tell my story so others can be set free"

Ashley Anne