Visual Poetry Short Films
Farah Lawal Harris Farah Lawal Harris

Visual Poetry Short Films

I am experimenting with a new art form: visual poetry—turning my poems into short films that are engaging and entertaining (I hope!)

I’ve done two visual poetry short films so far. My most recent one is “Sphinx’s Surgery” to accompany the poem I wrote on Day 5 of the 2022 National Poetry Month. The prompt was to write a poem about a mythical person or creature doing something unusual. I wrote about the Sphinx statue going to a plastic surgeon to get a consultation to repair her missing nose. This short film shows a news report about the Sphinx’s plans to get cosmetic surgery:

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Impulse Decisions
Essays Farah Lawal Harris Essays Farah Lawal Harris

Impulse Decisions

Have you ever made an impulse decision that you immediately regretted? The last time I did this was when I was on a staycation with my family this past June. My son and I went to a horse and car show where there were different vendors selling their wares. I didn’t plan to shop—we were there to see the cool, classic cars. But a jewelry stand caught my eye.

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Stop Hoarding Information!
Essays Farah Lawal Harris Essays Farah Lawal Harris

Stop Hoarding Information!

OK, picture this...

You are very accomplished in your career. You invested time and money to learn how to do what you do as well as you do it. You made some embarrassing mistakes when you were just an amateur, but you learned from them and improved your skillsets. You experienced rejection, lack of interest from gatekeepers, and underpayment for your time and services. You've failed many times--privately and publicly. But now…

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The Support Struggle
Essays Farah Lawal Harris Essays Farah Lawal Harris

The Support Struggle

Until more recently than I would like to admit, I used to count the empty seats at my theatre performances. The empty seats were a visual representation of the people I expected to support me who did not show up. I kept a tally because, in my mind, my closest friends and family were not meeting my expectations of what it meant to support me. Then I would spiral:

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