Samantha Teta is first of all kinda social media shy from what I deduce but what do you expect from great working minds(*winks). She’s a year shy of leaving teenagehood and is in the first year of university. She’s yet to read Juliane Okot B’itek’s work but getting to it soon enough.

Random Facts about Samantha

  1. Terrible memory(who doesn’t )
  2. Can’t write without music. Has certain type of music for every piece.
  3. Loathes Mathematics.(Amen to that )
  4. Terribly shy. But often no one can tell.
  5. Has an answer for everything.
  6. Eternally clumsy.
  7. Geeky-nerdy bookworm and REALLY loves school.
  8. Rwanda – first, only and permanent true love. Everything else is second.
  9. Incurable insomniac. Most creative between 3a.m to 5a.m.
  10. Her worst critic. Acutely aware of my flaws and limitations.

She relates a lot to the new and growing wave of young passionate and humanity cause minded poets like Warsan Shire, Ruddy Franscisco, Page,  Frequency and All SWR poets.

She feels some poems make more meaning when silently read while others are powerful when spoken. Initially her poetry was about expression and reflection of herself. Nowadays, it bestows a certain responsibility whether to inform, question, present or raise awareness on thorny issues. Her poetry is a form of activism too especially for women and children.

In the nearest future, would love to try acting, theatre and photography. They could be healthy for her brand of poetry. She has written a couple of children’s’ short stories.

 
Right now, she’s thinking hard about making her first book a collection of poetry and photography. She is also doing loads of reading up and exploring art for broader inspirations and perspectives. She writes as she’s inspired but hopes to do so part time in the future

Although, she has evolved in terms of creative ways of expressing herself, she still pushes herself to grow especially when floetry block can be such a bummer!

While she feels that social media is paramount, it’s all about knowing how best to manipulate its reach to your desired advantage.

Her favourite book EVER is Desert Flower by Waris Dirie.( Read this book as a teenager and it was helpful as it taught me on how to place important things in my priority list)  She read the book as a child and it was a life-changing experience. Little wonder, she will be forever  in love with Somali as her first poem was on female genital mutilation.

She writes best at the highs and lows of life.

You can connect with Sam – medium.com/@samantha_teta

twitter.com/@samantha_teta