Meet Julie Cummings | 33rd and 34th President National Federation of State Poetry Societies

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julie Cummings and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julie, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I was the 33rd and 34th President of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies from 2018 -2022 and am now the Immediate Past President. I was introduced to the Colorado society, Columbine Poets, by Barbara Test. I eagerly joined and after a few years became the state president. I served in that capacity until 2018 when Columbine hosted the national convention and I became the national president. As the president of an organization founded in 1959, I tried to lead the membership during COVID when we normally met in person. I succeeded in helping to start 2 new member societies. The NFSPS has 32 member state societies. We have a major annual manuscript contest, a spoken and written word contest, a slam competition, college and university contests, as well as 50 member contests and 4 student contests. I have always loved poetry and writing.  This organization is exactly what I needed.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

When I joined Columbine Poets, I never imagined I would have the opportunity to grow up in the shadow of so many outstanding Colorado poets. For this, I am eternally grateful. Columbine Poets meets weekly and we share our love of poetry with each other. I believe I was introduced to Columbine Poets and NFSPS at a younger age than most; because of that, I am committed to carrying on the legacy of introducing young and old to the poets, poetry forms, and poetry we all love.

Audre Lorde, one of my favorite poets, once wrote, “Poetry is not only dream and vision; it is the skeleton architecture of our lives. It lays the foundations for a future of change, a bridge across our fears of what has never been before.” This comes from her essay, “Poetry is Not a Luxury.” I wholeheartedly agree, poetry is not a luxury. It is necessary in my life and I trust it is necessary in yours. Even when I am exhausted, physically and/or mentally, for whatever reason, I cannot step away from my daily writing practice. I have made this part of my daily routine and it is now a necessity for me to continue to build that foundation. I always say to those who say they dislike poetry, “You haven’t found the right poem yet.”

I may change the time of day I write, the amount of time I spend writing, and I may not even write a poem, but I exercise the practice to ensure that I do write something every single day. The thanks for this learned behavior is given to my 3rd grade teacher who taught and explained this important commitment to the “skeleton architecture” of my life and my love of poetry.

Why would I want to thank my 3rd grade teacher who claimed my first attempt at a poem was not a haiku? It was because I just knew it was. That belief has been affirmed and I know now that it was exactly a haiku. I’m just grateful I knew what I knew and that I wanted to prove her wrong, and more importantly that I didn’t shut down and quit writing. I have been writing and reading poetry ever since.

Often when someone shuts down your words, criticizes your poetry, or even exhibits distaste for your writing style, it is easy to be offended and shut down your emotions and maybe even stop writing. Don’t! As Audre Lorde said, “a bridge across our fears of what has never been before.” Do not let anyone stop your foundation building with the words from within you.

Remember that scene in Dead Poet’s Society when Robin Williams made his students stand on a desk to get a fresh perspective? It’s easy to find ourselves in a rut. Sitting in the same chair, in the same office, or in the same coffee house, can keep us from fresh thinking and new ideas.

It’s easy to read a blog post from the privacy of your living room. You won’t break a sweat listening to a podcast. You don’t have to make small talk while your YouTube video loads up. You can stay snugly within your comfort zone.

I tend to not want to stay in my comfort zone. I present workshops and read across the country. I love sharing my love of poetry. I started a poetry open mic at Ziggies Live Music and held a poetry fest there for several years. Planning a 3 day festival was fun and rewarding. There were workshops and readings and even poetry trivia. I carried the festival to a private residence when Ziggies closed, and revived the open mic during the lockdown. It is now attended by people all across the nation, because of the technology available.

I do not know if this has been easy or hard. There have been challenges and joys. But most times the challenges become the joys. I do what I do because I want to do it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend came to Colorado, we would spend time outside in the many parks in the mountains. I would arrange a reading at my house and have a private poetry event with food and drink there. Perhaps we would go to Loveland for a reading or to Denver as well. We would sit on the banks of the St. Vrain and on the deck of my house in Conifer laughing and talking. We might head to a bookstore or fish on the Platte.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Carla Jordan, Anita Jepson-Gilbert and Columbine Poets of Colorado

Website: juliecummingspoetry.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannibalbmd/