The first time I ever heard Sarah Kay perform “Hands,” I was speechless. She was young, polished, and profoundly moving in her delivery. She’s the living poet I’m celebrating today during the Slice of Life Challenge. Each poet’s collection has inspired me to take a selection of their existing lines and rearrange them, creating a Cento poem from their work.
Sarah quickly became a favorite, and one whose YouTube videos I share with my book club when I send out morning poems during National Poetry Month. Imagine my surprise when I learned that she was coming to Serenbe Pavilion in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia this May! Serenbe is an hour from where I live – a Saturday night drive well worth the cost of a reserved seat. I can’t wait to hear her in person – I’m thinking of it as a small pre-retirement gift to myself to ignite the flame of all the poetry events I’ll finally be able to attend, even if they’re on weeknights. For today, I’m thumbing through A Little Daylight Left and indulging in the joy of her writing.
You can read more about Sarah Kay here; this link has her famous Ted Talk “If I Should Have a Daughter” embedded into the article with the interview.
My Cento:
These lines were taken from the following poems, in this order:
An additional thought today:
When I woke up and read a post this morning from Peter at Five Hundred a Day, I realized that I, too, have been fishing for the place my words are looking for (don’t miss his blog post today – it’ll bring a tear or two or a Kleenex full). In 2025, a colleague and I started an office book club. Recently, she has become a Silent Book Club host, and we have both seen our husbands, infrequent readers prior to this additional club, show up and take ownership in “their” book club. It has been a blessing, and as our ladies’ book club meets for our discussions and adventures, our husbands will go have dinner and discussions of their own. I made a mental note: there is something to showing up without expectation to discuss a book that appeals to folks..
I share all of this to say that like Peter, I’ve been fishing for an in-person writing group in my town and nearby smaller towns, and I found the Silent Book Club equivalent in a group called Shut Up & Write (SUAW). Each writing group where I can share with others is so unique, but one type of group I don’t have in my life and desperately need is in-person. I applied and have apparently made the cut, was approved as an organizer, and will complete my onboarding training during Spring Break in a week and a half. I’m casting my reel out to ask if anyone has attended a Shut Up & Write event and to ask for your experiences. I’d love to get your thoughts.
Common Threads 
“I am a snow globe of worry…” – I can relate, though my goal for retirement is to stop shaking that globe.
Kim, I hope the SUAW turns out to be exactly what you are searching for!
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Kim,
I lost my original comment as I tried to read the sticks to retrieve a line and the image turned and would not return to its original position. Talk about “a tricky middle [not] cleverly solved.” And instead of laughing, I’m cry, cry, crying. Literally. I love Sarah Kay’s poetry and used “Hands” and “If I Had a Daughter” in both speech and English classes.
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I only have seen Sarah’s tedtalk. Thanks for linking the Hands performance and showing me she has a published book, too! And for sharing about how you will be going to see Sarah Kay. I just looked and she is coming to Maryland on April 23rd…about an hour drive and on a school night but so what! I am so excited to experience Sarah Kay LIVE!! I can’t thank you enough for sharing about poets this March! You are a gem. Also, I wished you and I lived closer as I’d love to be in an in-person writing club with you!
Fran and I and one other writer meet monthly during the school year and more often during the summer. We ensure all have something to write about. We set the timer and write – usually 30-45 minutes. Then we read aloud what we wrote and offer a comment or feedback. It is so powerful to be in person, write and share. I hope you find a group that works for you!
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I almost always play my class “If I Should Have a Daugther” as it is so rich in metaphor and description. Her delivery is it’s own conversation. Sad to say, I didn’t know she had a book, but will be looking for it.
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