Teju Chosen Poet

Biography

BIOGRAPHY Teju is a Poet, Author and Coach. Teju trained as an Actress and Writer at Kingsway Princeton College and with the Shared Experience Youth Theatre, National Youth Theatre and British Theatre Association in 1988. She has since taken and delivered several Creative Writing courses and workshops and has also studied under the instruction of Kwame Dawes. Teju is a Performance Poet & Writer with excellent comic timing and a great flair for words. Literally from the D.S.T. (Department of Straight Talking,) Teju’s down-to-earth, straight-from-the-heart poetry brings new meaning to the word, 'frank' and she leaves no stone unturned. She has lit up stages in several venues including in Britain, New York and South Africa. Her performance is an eclectic, dynamic mix of urban, upbeat sounds and dialects. With titles such as, Procrastination Stole My Destiny, I Write What I Feel, Baby Father and Healer You Need Healing, she has been known to convert many a poetry hater to a poetry lover. Appearances include Nuyorican Poets Café (New York), BAC Café, Soul Food, Poetry N Motion, Beats, Rhymes & Vibes, Kat Francois’ Intimates Nights, Where It's At Children's Sky TV Channel, Praisetek TV Show, BBC Radio London, Colourful Radio, Vibes FM, Urban Jazz Radio, Round House Rado and Fuzz FM radio, The Poetry Café, The Spit Lit Festival, London, Boi-Lit Festival, Tollerance UK charity fundraising night, On The Edge Exhibition (Norfolk) and YFM, Metro FM radio, Jungle Connection (South Africa). Teju is the Artistic Director of Creative Tongues (www.creativetongues.co.uk) and has successfully organised several open mic events including Organic Essence presents, Up Close & Inspirational and Teju’s Poetry Haven.

Samples

The Poetess 11 days ago She searched for 10 different ways To say the same thing Wrote 9 down Pondered on 8 Chose the best 7 Thought she was complete Then decided to use the first 1 In her pursuit to find The perfect muse Move away from the sorrowful norm She travelled Sojourned many less-trodden shores Met a rainbow of natives Learnt popular forms of greetings In many languages But only ever spoke in her mother tongue Inspired by The smell of fresh, welcoming exotic fruit A multi-dimensional array of intricate colours The wind blowing her thick, jet black comb-twisted tresses The swish and the swash of waves beating solid rocks Luke warm coconut water sipped through a stripy straw The sun casting shadows over weathered palm trees And the beach pedlars attempting to sell umbrellas despite any sign of rain She wrote nothing on her pad but, “When?” © 2010 Teju Chosen. All right reserved.

Write Now

Write Now I scribble, Until pen sticks, fissures paper. But still hold back Afraid of being unafraid To let go. I quibble, Until outer self turns down the volume On inner thoughts. Afraid of being unafraid To let go. I nibble, Until a mountain of empty wrappers Camouflage my writers block. Afraid of being unafraid To let go. © Teju Chosen 2020

All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.

Blog entries by Teju Chosen Poet

The Poetess (22/03/2016)

This Current Economic Climate (23/02/2012)

You (11/11/2011)

Blog link: https://www.writeoutloud.net/blogs/tejuchosenpoet