.Writers.on.Writing.
Get to know our authors, the foundation and heart of Yellow Arrow Journal, and what writing means to them through our monthly series.
W.o.W. #50
Al Kelly
What is the first book that made you cry?
The first book that made me cry was probably this children’s book called Some Things go Together. It’s a book my mom used to read to me all the time! It’s a rhyming book about a child and their mom. And every stanza builds up to the line “and you with me.” It is simple and sweet and as a child growing up with a single mother, the imagery of the two main characters really hit home! Even to this day I get really emotional reading it! I still have a copy on my bookshelf and actually wrote a poem about my mom in dedication to the book, the poem is called “And You With Me.”
What does your inner writing voice tell you?
My inner writing voice is calling me to be vulnerable and courageous. She is desperate for me to take risks, she wants to shine, she wants to show me how powerful she is, she wants me to trust in her capabilities. My writing voice is really my intuition and she wants to be acknowledged, exalted, and full of joy. She wants me to know that she’s ready and she’s waiting on me.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Al! I love you! While you’re traveling, write about everything! Stop what you’re doing and write what you feel, what you see, what you think! Those moments of experiencing something for the first time are magical. They ask your brain to think in new ways. They ask your body to adjust to new terrains. They ask that your eyes remain open and that your heart remains curious. They demand your uninterrupted presence. So be present and then write it all down so you can remember over and over again!
What are you currently working on?
Currently working on a writing project that incorporates monologues and poetry into video vignettes. The collection will explore how we talk about Black women and how we define strength in reference to Black women. My hope is to eventually record the vignettes!
Al Kelly grew up in Los Angeles, California, with her mama. She lives her life in the sunshine writing poetry, singing, and acting. She has lived in a lot of cool places (Los Angeles, New York, Budapest, Chicago!) and has seen bits and pieces of the world that she thinks are dope. Throughout her life, she has continued to write poetry because it is the most magical way of communicating. She hopes to one day publish a collection of poetry and run away to a country cottage perfectly situated on a Parisian city street where she’ll write, laugh, rest, explore, make love and dance forever.
You can find Al’s poem “Inheritance” in Yellow Arrow Journal, Vol. VIII, No. 1 KINDLING. Al participated in the reading for the issue, Scorching, Speaking: A KINDLING reading, on June 1. The reading is now available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/GEygfG8v2XI. You can see more about Al on Instagram @alkellypoetry.