Greetings, my readers. Today is Writer Wednesday, and this week I would like to introduce you to Keisha Molby-Baez, author of Tears Laced With Fire.
Polite On Society: Who is Keisha Molby-Baez?
Keisha Molby-Baez: I’m a humble, positive, caring, loving, helpful, dedicated, diligent, forgiving, inspiring, supportive, honest and very straightforward woman. I’m also known by my Poet name Coco. I’m a poet, author, writer, host, motivational speaker, workshop facilitator, and a Passion Filled Writer member. I’m also a good mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, chef and veteran. I enjoy giving back to my community by supporting many different causes.
POS: What motivated you to write “Tears Laced With Fire”?
KMB: The main thing that motivated me to write this book was all the physical, emotional and mental pain I’ve dealt with in my life. Another thing that motivated me to write my book was because I had it written on my goals list for many years and it was that time to check it off. One of my main characteristics in life is being determined to accomplish each goal written. My book was written with great purpose. It was written with hopes of being a great self-empowering book, a platform for community building and opening self-expressions. My book was written to release all my pain, depression, anxiety, stress, setbacks, discouragements and negativity. This is a book of truth, endurance, family, relationships, struggle, strength, relentlessness, passion, empowerment, survival, and self-love. I wrote this book to share how I accomplished Mind Over Matter, replacing negatives with positives and turning pain into passion. I want to show others I too have endured and conquered. Offering my readers help with their similar experiences through each poem. I want them to find healing and comfort through my words. My book is a collection of poems that are filled with the pain I’ve overcome, my passion for writing, my inner most deep thoughts, feelings, perceptions and struggles with my health issues. Uniquely, each of my poems illustrate a story, that will draw each reader into my emotions of how I faced life changing obstacles and health struggles; that could’ve broken anyone emotionally, physically and mentally.
POS: Every month, you sponsor an Open Mic event at The South of France bar and restaurant. Tell us how this event has helped the poetic scene in the Bronx.
KMB: My poetry event, Coco’s Delight has helped the poetic scene in the Bronx by offering a stage and platform for teenagers, adults, poets, Spoken Word artists, motivational speakers and entertainers of all genres. My poetry event helps them all to express their talents, passion, pain, struggles, accomplishments, causes and daily life experiences. It’s an event that keeps Poetry alive in the Bronx by bringing different types of entertainers and styles of poetry together. It allows each person their own comfortable time to express their work, books and current projects. My event has a welcoming ambiance and makes you feel right at home. It gives the Bronx hope that there is still a Poetry event that appreciates every individual and respects their work. At my event, there is no rush with performing, no criticism, or negativity at all. It’s an event you can come to and feel safe, supported and loved. My event also keeps my famous “Raffle of Gratitude” alive and I started this raffle in high school. It’s a one of a kind experience, one you will never forget, and totally enjoy. I’ve also been recognized and put on the spotlight for being a great curator and producer for my community.
POS: If you had to name one lesson you want people to take away from your poetry book, what would it be?
KMB: This is a difficult choice to make because I have so many lessons l would want them to take away from reading my book. I will basically try my best to summarize the overall lesson. The lesson I would want my readers to take away from my poetry book is “Life is NOW, fear is an ILLUSION, failure is LEARNING, relationships need CARE, anger isn’t WORTH IT, kindness MATTERS, vulnerability HEALS, posturing builds WALLS, grudges cause PAIN, passion UPGRADES life, no one is PERFECT, it will PASS, only you DEFINE your life’s MEANING, change is GOOD, your body is a TEMPLE, have GRATITUDE for everything, intuition COUNTS, pleasure yourself FIRST, self-honesty is FREEDOM, heal your WOUNDS, it’s never too LATE, creation beats REACTION, release ATTACHMENTS, your WORDS matter, realize less is MORE, and make life count by wearing LOVE everyday no matter what.”
POS: What creative works do you have in planning? Is there anything else you want us to know about?
KMB: The most current creative work I’m working on is completing my second poetry book titled “A Little Bit of Sugar”. This book is a collection of poems that will illustrate how Coco has coped with all her trials and tribulations, the bits of sugar in her life and the love she sprinkles everywhere. She is also working on finding a new location where she can continue facilitating her “Mind Over Matter: Creating and Building Your Safe” workshops. My workshops teach you how to build your own mental and physical safe. It teaches you how to turn daily negatives into positives. My workshops have helped different communities to communicate through writing, drawing, performing, sharing their cultures and deep life experiences with one another. It’s truly a moving experience that helps everyone to express and collaborate their values, views, feelings and perspectives with one another. My workshops spark deep thoughts, open’s one’s imagination and creates awesome group discussions. I’m also working on a do-it-yourself journal titled “Creating and Building Your Safe”. It’s a journal that will have writing prompts, writing exercises to help you create your own piece or poem, drawing tasks, some of my poems to help you relate and inspire you to create and build your safe. The journal is expected to be released sometime in 2018. Another special goal I’m working on little by little is my memoir and is expected to be released during 2019.
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We thank Keisha for taking the time to communicate with us about her work. To find out more about her work, visit Coco’s Delight