Catching Rainbows and Your Attention
I’ve visited the state of Colorado once in my life. That one summer visit, at age 15, left such an impression that I’ve always wanted to return. The place is literally breath-taking. The scenery takes your breath away just as much as the thin air. Bold, in-your-face mountains, endless western skies, the bluest lakes, and the greenest valleys all make for a beautiful, awe-inspiring experience. I tell you this, not because I’ve decided to write a travel column, but, to prepare you for Hannah Drake-Carter.
She makes her home in Louisville now, but Hannah was born and raised in Colorado. And that makes perfect sense to me. Over the past year or so, I’ve gotten to know this woman as a beautiful, bold, in-your-face, awe-inspiring poet. Hannah Drake-Carter is a breath-taking experience.
Performing for 11 years and blessing mics in New York, Michigan, Atlanta, and Louisville, Hannah took to spoken word very naturally. But even her public speaking and drama background can’t squash the butterflies she feels each time she steps to a mic. She’s learned to channel those nerves and use them to fuel her performances. She believes in leaving her soul on the stage. Seeing and hearing her perform will make you a believer too.
I first had the pleasure of hearing Hannah perform at a 30something Entertainment Crowd Fave set in Louisville. She will tell you that she loves poetry for its ability to profoundly affect or even change a person’s mind in three minutes or less. That night she did just that with a piece that focused on recovering from abuse. The intensity of Hannah’s performance, combined with the audience’s attentiveness, created a moment that every poet strives for…that moment when you know you’ve connected with your listeners through the power of words.
She truly came to understand the power words after an opportunity to perform at the famed Nuyorican Poets Café in New York. Blown away by the level of poetry she witnessed at Nuyorican, she had what she calls a “light bulb moment” and realized that poetry allows you to speak on any subject without apologies. She refuses to be censored as a “church girl” and freely speaks her mind to audiences and readers.
Reading since the age of three, Hannah’s love for words started with “Marvin Kay Mooney Will You Please Go Now,” by Dr. Suess. As much as she still loves to read, she knows all stories aren’t found in books. She says she’s constantly inspired by everyone’s story, whether it’s the bus driver, the woman on the corner, the prostitute, or the dealer. As a poet and writer, she recognizes that it’s her job to bring those stories to life.
If you’re wondering why you haven’t seen her in front of a mic recently, there’s good reason. Busy working on the sequel to her first novel, “Fragile Destiny,” she also has some radio features in the works. She believes taking a break from the mic is good for any poet. She lets her spirit dictate whether it’s time to stay at home and hone her craft, head to a venue and simply listen to other artists, or share her own words. Hannah’s spirit often dictates her to volunteer. She’s given her time and talent to Louisville’s youth poetry group, Generation iSpeak, and to the Louisville Ladies Legacy’s Pampered Pregnancy Shower. March has her scheduled to speak to a group of young ladies at Wagner High School.
With her eyes set on performing in Indy and St. Louis, Hannah continues to fulfill the promise she made to herself to live her life in color through her words. She’s adopted the Skittles’ motto of “Catch the rainbow!” Appropriately so. Rainbows, Colorado, and Hannah Drake-Carter are breath-taking experiences.
