‘Sex’ by Hallielle Rose Dawson is the new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week. In her answers to our questions Hallielle, who is a paramedic, said that she started writing poetry seriously about three years ago, after producing poems "sporadically" in her teenage years. She added that poetry acted as a release valve for emotions encountered when she is carrying out her job: “Poetry is my way of releasing back into the atmosphere the great amount of tragedy and emotion that I store in my soul.”

 

What got you into writing poetry?

I wrote occasionally as a child/adolescent, but truly began writing poetry three years ago as a way of coping with the situations and events that I see on a daily basis at work. I am a paramedic by trade and poetry is my way of releasing back into the atmosphere the great amount of tragedy and emotion that I store in my soul while on the job.

 

How long have you been writing?

I started writing when I was in third grade and wrote sporadically throughout my teenage years. However, I trashed nearly everything I had written and did not begin to save my writings until 2016.

 

Do you go to any open-mic nights?

Only once. I was asked to read a poem that was selected (against my knowledge) to be entered into a small, relatively insignificant contest. I won and was asked to read my work publicly. I read and write solely as a coping mechanism.

 

What’s your favourite poet/poem?

Tyler Knott Gregson is by far my favourite poet. Our thoughts and ideas regarding life are seemingly parallel and I draw a great deal of inspiration from his style of writing. My favourite work of his is the Chasers of the Light book from The Typewriter Series.

 

You're cast away on a desert island. What's your luxury?

My luxury would be a relatively large collection of vintage dresses. I consider myself an old soul and I would appreciate the opportunity to finally dress the part.   

 

 

SEX

by Hallielle Rose Dawson 

 

She is
Supposed
To kiss him now
But
She thinks about
  Cleaning her house
    She thinks about
      Anything else
        She thinks about
          Why she can't just
            Embrace this and
Kiss him
  She thinks about
    Being out of milk
      She thinks about
        The weather
          She had better
            Wear a dress
              But not too short
               Or it will lead to
This
  She thinks about
Kiss him
  She thinks about
    Why she must
      Wander
        Why she must
          Wonder
            Why she can't just
Kiss him
  She thinks about
     Herself
       Introspection
         It is her fault
          Anyway
           She thinks about
             That day
               She thinks about
Kiss him
Now
  She thinks about
     Trying
       She thinks about
         Dying
           She thinks about
             Anything else
She thinks about