Los Angeles based poet and songwriter Pavana Reddy knows how to pack a punch. Her short, Instagramable, verses get to the point in a way that’s both moving and inspiring. One short poem reads: “I call it destiny when you grow from a place someone left you in,” while another says that “a soft woman is simply a wolf caught in meditation.”
“When I first started sharing my work online, I wasn’t very serious about it and I really just wanted an outlet for the things I was too afraid to say,” she admitted in an interview with Isaase. But soon enough, she learned that her words had an impact and turned her passion for poetry into a career.
Now, with more than 80k followers on Instagram, it’s clear that people are tuning in. “My poetry is very much a reflection of who I am,” says Reddy. “I started writing as a kid, simply as a way to verbalize feelings I didn’t know how to talk about – and while my writing has definitely improved since – I still write for the same reasons.”
“I think the biggest lesson educators or counselors need to learn is to listen, and to really understand,” she added. “The greatest creators in the world are still in high school – we should be learning from them. One of the most frustrating parts of school for me was believing there was something wrong with my feelings because the adults I spoke to couldn’t relate, and I believe that’s one of the main reasons why kids don’t feel comfortable speaking up for themselves. Listening is key.”
Follow her Instagram page for more sound advice on life and love.