My words are my voice, and I want to be heard.

Short words are my solace

Writing poetry has always been my escape. Thoughts and feelings I couldn't say aloud.

I’ve been writing poems since I was 13. It started when my family life irreversibly changed, and I became very depressed, isolated and lost. I couldn’t seem to find the voice to vocalise how I was feeling, what thoughts were in my head, and simply how sad I was. I began to draw in on myself, and away from others. But somehow, when I picked up a pen the words came so freely, flowing across the page.

Writing has always been my escape, the only way I know how to let my inner voice out. My way of screaming my emotions - letting it all shout. It's my solace, my safe space, my emotional outlet. I can’t force it, it will just come when I need it.

I’ve recently started to write and share a few more of my poems with friends, as gifts, and decided too share more - with whoever might appreciate them.

So here’s my story, told through short poems written out of necessity to let my inner voice escape. It’s often pretty dark and at times very sad, but, there are sparks of light throughout - shimmers of hope and happiness. And to me that’s what life has been - navigating the darkness, to realise your light.

And my message to everyone - always be kind to yourself, feel your emotions, let them out, ride it all the way through. Because understanding them makes you powerful, feeling them makes you stronger, and showing them makes you beautiful.

All my love,

Ria Morgan-Ratcliffe x