Annie Avery is a tender & sincere voice, one with an urban feel and a sense of acceptance that seems far too humble for one who is clearly so strong. A woman of adversity and subtle fire she sees the world and its inhabitants in starlight. Her work is reflective and celebrates the simplistic observation that there is something precious to be found within all things, broken or otherwise.
Surviving adolescent homelessness, Annie recounts her life in blessings from God and credits much of her resiliency on poetry giving her “a way to make something beautiful and meaningful with the chaos that life sometimes is…a way to send [her] pain and joy out into the heavens…and hopefully touching other people”.
Published by Poetry Super Highway, as well as Edgar & Lenore’s Publishing House, Annie has gained local acclaim. Her performances include Beyond Baroque and Cobalt Café where she continues to inspire others by exploring emotion on a very tangible level.
Some of Annie’s influences include Anis Mojgani's "Shake The Dust" and John Masefield's "Sea Fever" and her poems, such as Preciously, showcased below, reflect the beauty Annie sees in the mundane circles of city life. A writer deeply connected to her work, she is able to recognize the unexpected treasures of life others often overlook.
To Avery poetry is the most honest form of expression and a touching tribute to the world which surrounds her. The following poem is part of the upcoming women’s anthology, In The Company Of Women (Available 2012)
Preciously
Wonderland everyday on the street
Disguised beauties, but really they’re plain old beautiful
Just injured children put back together with scotch tape
But they are beautiful and could grow into the grandest trees just wait
Every day we walk dirty streets
Underneath laughs the miracle daring you to see it
I must have fallen in love a million times and I couldn’t believe you said you never had
Some love stories last a minute and I have lived them
I saw a man who was four feet tall and beautiful
The world told you he wasn’t but they lied
I loved him for a minute
Still do
To enjoy more of Annie Avery’s poetic works please visit the following link:http://annie-avery.livejournal.com/
Poet Annie Avery: Q & A - regarding child & adolescent homelessness:
If you are or know a teen who needs help finding refuge from homelessness or poverty please use the following resources to guide them on their way to a better fate and a more promising future.
- Q: I understand you are a woman of resiliency, an individual who has overcome adversity. Can you tell me about your history and what brought you to where you are today?
- Annie Avery: Yes, I was homeless as a teenager as I chose to run and live on the street rather than with a very abusive step-parent. Living on the streets opens one up to bad entities and unfortunately I almost lost my life because of it. God used people to rescue me basically, in a truly miraculous way.
- Q: What advice would you have for others who may find themselves in a similar situation?
- Annie Avery: It's hard when you're in that situation because you're just trying to survive each day... when I was a homeless kid, I didn't even know that there were organizations to help. Today there are wonderful shelters, the Los Angeles Youth Network http://www.layn.org/ and TEEN LINE http://teenlineonline.org/teens/youth-yellow-pages/running-away-and-shelters both have some wonderful resources for children that need help. I would encourage kids that find themselves homeless to reach out to organizations such as these for help. Also, to remember who they are, that they do not deserve to be homeless and are good people, to never give up on their dreams and to know they will get through it, that God has their back.
