This week on Poet Of The Week (#POTW), it’s with immense pleasure that we unveil yet another rising star Miss Oluwatosin Faith Kolawole fondly referred to as TeeFaith by friends.
Born on the 6th of November 1996, as the second daughter in a family of five, Oluwatosin hails from Ise-Ekiti, Ekiti state, Nigeria.
Oluwatosin is a passionate writer, an ardent lover of music and a blogger too, who hopes to influence her world positively through her writings.
She is presently a medical student in the American International University West Africa, The Gambia.
Sam De Poet caught up with the ever smiling poet…
What prompted you to begin writing poetry?
I saw someone’s work on Facebook and since I write articles, I decided to break them down into verses like poetry.
Yes I was that passionate, until I stumbled upon poets on this social media and a friend volunteered to help me in. So I started poetry May 2014.
What inspires your writing?
Everything inspires my writing. So far it sends a message to my brain and virtually everything we see, ear, touch, taste and feel sends signals to the brain.
Do your poems have any predominant themes?
Yes, I write more on matters of the heart. I don’t know exactly why. I just find myself doing it
Why is poetry important to you? Do you get satisfaction from them?
I get enough satisfaction from poetry. Poetry is one of my source of happiness
Are there any specific poems or poets that have influenced your style as a poet?
Oh! So many, many that I can’t mention. Dead poets with alive works, alive ones with alive works, especially poets on my Facebook list.
I don’t have a particular one I stick to. I keep learning…
How much do you think life experiences influence our writing?
90% of life influences our writing. We get ideas from happenings around us.
How much of yourself do you inject into your poems?
Smiles…50% of myself. I observe, imagine and write.
Are there certain condition in which you write better?
I write better when I’m alone. Whatever mood I’m in, as long as I’m alone, I write better.
What role do you think poems and poets should and can play in society?
As poets, I believe we can re-write old stories. Let your reader read your mind through your work. Let them see how passionate you are about what you write.
Let them see through your eyes with your words, how much change you want to make in the society and leave them with a thought or two.
Most poets write in English. Now, what is your position about traditional poetry written in local dialects?
Oh! I love traditional poems. It comes with a unique style and is more captivating compared to the normal English style we see everyday.
I have few of them in my archives and hope to write countless of them in years to come.
There has been noticeable improvements in your poems of late, you are getting better and better, trying new styles and forms. What can you ascribe to these improvements?
Really? If that’s the case, I’m glad. Inasmuch as I try to get better in poetry each day, time steals me off.
But recently, I tried learning more styles and forms in poetry including writing anything anywhere I find myself and it really worked. I did that for two weeks and noticed improvements
You would get discouraged. You’ll think of giving up. But look ahead, strains of hope are waving back at you. Wave off the present news of giving up and pursue the bright future ahead. Tomorrow promises to be greater.
Don’t give up today and regret later in life.
Contact:
Facebook: Oluwatosin Faith Kolawole
Twitter: @teefaithy
Instagram: @teefaithy
Email: faitholuwatosin(at)gmail.com
Blog: http://teefaith.wordpress.com/
Phone: +234(0)8168063999
