Women’s herstory at WCC: A conversation with spoken-word artist Mikhaella Norwood

Deputy Editor

Mikhaella Norwood performed her poetry to the WCC community on Thursday, March 2 as part of WCC’s Women’s History month events. Interwoven in between Norwood’s performances was poetry from Mary Oliver and May Sarton read by Writing Center staff.

Norwood graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Spanish. She also studied in Brazil focusing on theater. After graduating in 2016, Norwood committed to her craft full time as an actress, spoken-word artist, blogger and motivational speaker. Her poetry explores themes such as faith, love, lust, racism, black excellence and womanhood.

Norwood is currently working on a book, “Fruit,” which is based on the fruit of the Bible: love, joy, peace, patience etc. Norwood does not yet have a release date for her book.

What follows is an edited and condensed version of an interview which took place at the event.

How did you get interested in poetry?

Poetry, I think it just came to me very naturally. I always was a writer from a very young age—to me that was play time. Like writing a song was a game to me and then, I think, it kind of morphed from ‘for fun’ to spoken word without me ever knowing what spoken word was. I just started like, ‘Oh it’s somewhere in between a rap and a poem’ and then someone showed me and they said, ‘Oh that sounds like this’ and someone showed me a def poetry jam special. I was like, ‘Oh, this is exactly what this feels like.’

From there, it just kind of took off.

I think college definitely took me to a new level with it. Because, when you are in college there are actual competitions and there are just a lot more opportunities. My freshmen year I went to what I thought was an open mic and it was actually a competition, but I didn’t know that until my name was on the list. I ended up winning the competition and the prize for this competition was a spot on the slam poetry team and an all-expenses paid trip to New York to compete nationally.

So, my life definitely changed. I just thought I was playing games doing an open mic and then a couple months later I was in New York. I think that was the first time that I really thought like ‘This can be more than just a hobby I can actually do this. This can take me places.’

Did the competition have a name?

It was called CUPSI, which is The College Union Poetry Slam Invitational.

What is your process like when your writing poetry?

Honestly, I have to be inspired by something. Typically it’s something that bugs me that I’m like, ‘How does no one see that this wrong or this is weird or that’s off putting’. For instance for the poem that I wrote called ‘Census 2010’ I was just irked by the fact that they were going to put negro on the census. I’m like ‘Who uses that? Who thought that was a good idea?’ It’s things that kind of irk me in real life that i’m like, ‘I wonder what other people are thinking.’ Well let me just say what i’m thinking. It all really comes out of me. I really see poetry as like a gift that God gave to me, so it’s almost like outside of myself. By the time it’s all written on the page I look back like ‘whoa that’s awesome. What is this that just happened?’

You mention a lot of famous, influential, intellectual women. What role do women play in your poetry?

I would speak about my mom. The role that she plays may not necessarily be the poetry that I write but it is her belief in me. To say ‘yeah, quit your 9 to 5 be a poet.’ You don’t get that everywhere and it definitely comes from both of my parents, but I really applaud my mom because my dad is an artist so he kind of gets me. But, my mom is a doctor so she is very logical-minded. For her, I know that it took more for her to see me, to understand me, so to have her support, to push me and say ‘I know that this is what you love and I can see this is what you were born to do so I’m here for you, I’m going to come to your shows.’ Having her support definitely spurs me on to say this is what I want to do, this is what I want to be.

What advice would you give to students who want to follow in your footsteps and have their poetry support them?

I would say be diligent in your craft and take the time to actually write; be in spaces where you are hearing poetry or reading poetry. It’s more than just something that is a passion. If you want to live it, you have to do the work. So deciphering: ‘Is this really something I want to do or is this a hobby?’ If it is a hobby, that’s fine. But if it’s something you really want to do and you want to work at, make sure that you are putting in that work. And then believing in yourself enough to give yourself a try. Bet on yourself because people will come and say ‘Well, this is crazy and this is never going to make money’ and for a minute it probably won’t. So, be diligent enough to stick with it and through the hard times and to keep pushing.

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