CLEARLAKE – Michele Wallace, 46, of Clearlake Park has held an interest in writing for many years but lacked the courage to share her work. In an eager step toward self-fulfillment, she recently entered an international poetry contest and discovered that a panel of judges finds her work to be worthy of publication.
Wallace received notification in mid-January certifying that her poem, “In Disguise” was chosen as a semi-finalist in the International Library of Poetry”s Open Poetry Contest. Her poem is to be published in a poetry compilation book scheduled for publication this fall. The tentative title of the book is “Immortal Verses.”
“Getting this recognition is beyond my wildest dreams,” Wallace said. “Being published inside a book is like a fantasy almost. It”s a dream coming true.”
Wallace said she”s been writing for years and has more than 100 completed poems tucked away in her collection. She said she takes inspiration from her life and those around her. “I”ve been writing for the last 14 years and I write about how I feel. I write a lot about the people around me and how they make me feel, whether it”s negative or positive,” she said.
For Wallace, poetry is a way to release her feelings in order to gain perspective on her life. It has helped her realize her own self-worth and retain emotional balance in the world around her.
“Poetry gives me an outlet to put down on paper, solutions to problems and solutions to make my life better and see how I can change it. It has helped to learn that if a person can bring you down they will, that”s just human nature, and you can”t let them, no matter what,” Wallace said. “Lately, I”ve come to see that the only person I have to answer to is me. That”s really important to me because I always seemed to do what others wanted me to and not what was best for me.”
“In Disguise” was written as a result of positive encouragement offered by two of Wallace”s close friends. She said that they pushed her to succeed and helped her find the courage to believe in herself.
“This poem was written for two caring people who helped me see who I am and always believed in me. They always gave me the confidence to do what I wanted to do when other people didn”t,” Wallace said. “My poetry has always been inspired by how I feel about people and things that happen to me. ?In Disguise” was the inspiration of two caring people who showed me that anything is possible. They always said believe in yourself and now I do believe, thanks to them.”
“In Disguise” illustrates a soul”s journey to self-discovery through encouragement and support. In the poem, the author thanks her “guardian angels in disguise” for helping her to spread her wings and gain new heights.
Wallace said the chance for publication has been wonderful for her self-esteem, which she said reflects in her recent work. “I was looking back on my poems and they used to be about the dark clouds and now they are about the sunshine,” she said.
As a semi-finalist, Wallace has a chance of winning one of 104 cash or gift prizes including the $1,000 grand prize. She may even have a shot at the $10,000 annual grand prize.
“Immortal Verses” will be a classic, coffee table, hardbound volume printed in two colors on fine-milled paper specifically selected to last for generations. Wallace”s poem will be featured on its own page along side an author”s profile. Under the contest guidelines, “In Disguise” will be published under Wallace”s own copyright and will remain her original work.
Wallace is a single mother of four with children ranging in age from 13 to 28 years. She has been a resident of the area for the past 11 years and enjoyed visiting Lake County as child with her parents and grandparents. She aspires to someday own and operate her own restaurant.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
