The writer is a fan of the poetry scene in the Fayetteville community. The talent of the Ville’s notable poets is mind-blowing. One poet, Keith Sowell, sparked her attention. When he speaks, it’s as if he’s giving it his all, emptying his entire being into words with expressions that draw the audience’s attention.
He’s ranked sixth in the nation for slam poetry. Last year, he made his debut on the Fayetteville Slam Poetry Team, which advanced from tenth place to fourth place in the finals.
The writer interviewed the 26-year-old to learn more about his passion for poetry and where it all started.
HOW IT ALL STARTED
Sowell was not particularly interested in poetry at first. In middle school, he participated in speech, debate, science, and forensics. In his junior year at Gray’s Creek High School, a group of underclassmen organized slam poetry performances for the entire school. Amazed by the performance, Sowell believed he could do it [poetry], comparable to his school activities—acting and speech. After auditioning during his senior year, he joined the school’s poetry team.
The Fayetteville native went on to pursue poetry as a hobby at his alma mater, Duke University, called Spoken Verb. He then served as team captain, helping the team advance to the semi-finals for the first time at the Collegiate Union Poetry Slam.
Poetry was not a hobby for him, but it served as an outlet for him to express the turmoil of his innermost thoughts on paper.
“[Poetry] became that rock—a source of therapy and healing when I was dealing with depression and anxiety,”
Sowell shared.
POETRY SLAM CONNECTION
After returning home from Durham, Sowell strayed from poetry during the global pandemic. It wasn’t until he saw a flyer for a poetry event that he brought back to his love for poetry.
At the poetry event, he ran into LeJuane “El’Ja” Bowens, a local spoken word artist and poetry event host. Sowell had previously met the Poetry-n-Motion CEO and Founder when he hosted a poetry Slam at his high school. At Bowens’ suggestion, Sowell joined the Fayetteville poetry slam team for the Southern Fried Poetry Slam, an annual performing arts festival that celebrates spoken word artists worldwide. According to its website, Southern Friend also showcases some of the world’s most gifted writers, poets, orators, and artists for a chance to compete for an incentive.
Sowell greatly respects Bowen, who has played an essential role in his journey to help craft his artistry. “He has helped me to become a better writer and performer, as well as teaching me how to navigate art as a business,” he told the Exclusive Press (EP).
SCIENTIFIC WORD DISCOVERY
Sowell is committed to making scientific discoveries with words and inventing new terms to elevate his poetry to a deeper level. His peers describe Sowell as an analytical writer. Writing to him is like figuring out everything related to his thinking, daily conversations, or anything inverse. For him, it’s about going beyond creativity to delve deeper into his writing.
“It’s [writing] like a puzzle to me,” he says, describing the untapped power of utilizing words in poetry. “For me, words are how I express my emotions and thoughts in such a way that will navigate the audience along the journey,”
Sowell shared with the Exclusive Press (EP)
POETRY WORDPLAY
The former CBS Survivor reality TV star shared that writing takes practice over time. Poetry can elicit a wide range of emotions in him. He shared examples of how poetry can make you laugh, cry, give you chills, and relax your mind. He also mentioned moments when words can flow strongly, heightened by feelings and emotions.
He used his personal experience of having his first panic attack and dealing with anxiety to write a poem titled Metronome.
In 2022, Sowell published his debut book, Deep Press On, about his mental health struggles and faith journey to help him navigate. After leading a prayer session, he felt God’s calling to write the 30-poem collection. He named the book after he saw the words “press” and “on” in depression. The book is available on his website, www.kesowell.com, his social media pages, Fayetteville’s City Gallery Bookstore, and Amazon.
THE LIFE OF POETRY
Sowell believes everyone is a poet, whether they realize it or not.
“We speak poetry. It’s part of our daily conversation. What we say has a deeper meaning, and we go beyond the surface,”
Sowell explained.
He praises the growing popularity of art culture in the community at various venues, such as the Coffee Scene, TAP on Thursday at Winter Bloom, and Art Meets Life at Sweet Palette, which promotes artists’ creative expression.
Sowell plans to release his second book, Mosaic, in the future. He described the book as channeling brokenness into a greater purpose. In fall 2024, Sowell will perform a one-person show at the Cape Fear Regional Theater for the Yellow Beanie Project. He’s also preparing for the Poetry Slam Team in January 2025.
“SOW” “WELL”
He admitted that performing in front of a crowd can sometimes be nerve-racking. Thoughts come to mind, such as, “What if I don’t like it? What if I don’t remember it? Then, he reminds himself that if he allows his fear to dominate, he will deny God’s potential in this moment. Viewing nervousness positively, he perceives it as a desire for the performance to proceed smoothly, execute flawlessly, and achieve its goals.
In a poetry-like wordplay perspective on his individualized talent, “Sowell” understands the assignment of “SOW”ing his gift and performing it “WELL” to make an impact with his words on his audience.
In those special moments when he’s onstage, he gives God the glory to increase in him and creatively delivers his message. That’s the goal he has every time he touches the microphone.