Because Black. Because She. Because We. ✊🏾 Black history isn’t just the past—it’s the present, the fight, the resilience, and the win. Because she black, because she hoop, because she dunk, because she tatted up. 🏀✍🏾 Because she locked up, because she free. Because she paid, because she write.

Here's the video! Thanks for an Amazing reading with MonicaWeatherly @notebookscltv.bsky.social

For every woman who has been told to shrink, to be quiet, to make herself smaller than she is—this is for you. 💛 We have carried weightless burdens, sat with our knees pressed together, made room for others while feeling like we had none for ourselves. But listen, you are seen. You belong.

To the ones who held it down, held us up, and kept their joy rooted in resistance— This one’s for you. 💐 In the spirit of "Black Woman" by Georgia Douglas Johnson, we honor the strength wrapped in softness, the sacrifice laced in silence, and the beauty born through struggle.

The mic is our altar. The pen, our prayer. "Caseloads of young, the North Star foggy. When I was a child someone hit me so hard I lost my sense of beauty. I hear the ocean beating where the ice marches over the shore. Freedom is the choice to cross a river— tell a child another world exists."

As a poet, I often reflect on the writers who've shaped my journey—like Derrick O'Brown, who virtually visited our class before earning the Pulitzer, or Claudia Rankine, Gregory Pardlo, and even Robert Frost. While I can’t rank them, each has left a lasting impression on me.

@kevonstage.bsky.social I got your book! Hit me up for your signed copy of Back to Alabama! And one for Mrskevonstage too!

Teaching poetry is more than just analyzing words on a page—it's about exploring the world we live in. I’m considering not only the books we’ll read but also the deeper discussions we’ll have. This is a space to use poetry as a lens to examine the social issues of our time.

Yeah, everybody seems to know everybody. And it’s funny how imposter syndrome—oh, the stories all sound the same. But when you’re in it, whew, it hits different. I’m in these classes, fresh off my master’s, like 'I made it. I’m here!' But then that little voice creeps in, 'Am I supposed to be here?

Stepping into the spotlight feels a little surreal, but I’m deeply grateful for the love and support tonight. Poetry has always been about amplifying voices, and I’m honored to share my journey as both a poet and scholar.

✨ Black culture. Black love. Black life. Black poetry. ✨ Reading these poems was like discovering a reflection of my own voice—a legacy stretching back to the Harlem Renaissance, to the brilliance of Gwendolyn Brooks and beyond.

📚✨ Meet the storytellers shaping our community! ✨📚 The Switzer Library Local Author Fair is the perfect place to discover new voices, support local talent, and maybe even find your next favorite book. Join us on Saturday, Sept. 13th, from 12–3 PM at 266 Roswell St., Marietta, GA.

For every woman who has been told to shrink, to be quiet, to make herself smaller than she is—this is for you. 💛 We have carried weightless burdens, sat with our knees pressed together, made room for others while feeling like we had none for ourselves. But listen, you are seen. You belong.

Join us on Saturday, Sept. 13th, from 12–3 PM at 266 Roswell St., Marietta, GA. I will be one of the featured authors is Valerie A. Smith, poet and author of Back to Alabama. Come hear her words, feel her artistry, and connect with her story. 💫 📖 Free admission 🤝 Meet & mingle with local authors

📚✨ Meet the storytellers shaping our community! ✨📚 Join us on Saturday, Sept. 13th, from 12–3 PM at 266 Roswell St., Marietta, GA. I will be one of the featured authors is Valerie A. Smith, poet and author of Back to Alabama. Come hear her words, feel her artistry, and connect with her story.

I honor the women, like my mother, who nurture, heal, and plant seeds of possibility—the ones who come bearing wisdom, resilience, and love in ways we don’t always recognize until we’ve grown into them. She doesn’t need history books or faraway places to know what thrives.

Legion, for we are many. Anthony Hill, a name etched in memory, a life mistaken for a threat. His war-torn mind was exposed, his body unarmed yet perceived as armed. On that fateful day, March 9, 2015, an Officer arrived, and instead of compassion, panic spoke louder.

I honor the woman who shaped me—my grandmother. She was Southern steel and Sunday elegance—bold enough to snatch a snake mid-conversation, yet gentle enough to heal with her hands. She walked heavy, lived boldly, and never let fear call the shots.

So let me tell y’all how God’s plan works—He’ll close a door just to open a hallway, and when you’re ready to give up, He’ll slide a miracle through. 🖤 7 years ago, I thought I was just getting my Master’s to teach, but a no turned into a yes, and that “yes” came with mentors who saw a bigger vision

Honored to be reading at The Grove MGM next Saturday August 30th. The Grove supports young women transitioning out of Foster Care in Alabama. www.thegrovemgm.org

Upcoming events! Reading with @dr.monicaweatherly @thenotebookscollective Reading @thegrove_mgm and meeting local authors @cobbcountylibrary

Black men move through life carrying legacy, expectation, and the weight of survival—but the cards are always stacked. Some are taken by fame. Some by violence. Some by injustice. We pray. We fight. We grieve. We gather. Because their lives weren’t just theirs—they were ours. Happy Fathers Day <3

Come see me on the south side! I'll be reading Back to Alabama this Saturday June 14 at Georgian Gallery McDonough from 5-8pm. With poets Hester L. ("Lee") Furey, John Charles Griffin, Ed Hall, and Bryant O'Hara

Thrilled to see Back to Alabama out in the world!

Check out my memoir, Getting Better, about the first seven months of my recovery after suffering a brain injury and stroke in October of my senior year. You can find it at Bookshop.org: bookshop.org/p/books/gett... and Amazon: a.co/d/cGahWPD #braininjury #stroke #memoir #newbook #newbookalert

As a poet, I often reflect on the writers who've shaped my journey—like Jericho Brown, who virtually visited our class before earning the Pulitzer, or Claudia Rankine, Gregory Pardlo, and even Robert Frost. While I can’t rank them, each has left a lasting impression on me. #ValerieSmithWrites

The mic is our altar. The pen, our prayer. "Caseloads of young, the North Star foggy. When I was a child someone hit me so hard I lost my sense of beauty. I hear the ocean beating where the ice marches over the shore. Freedom is the choice to cross a river— tell a child another world exists."

I'm excited to announce that I'll be joining Cobb Switzer Library for their upcoming Open Mic Night tonight April 30th at 6PM, in honor of National Poetry Month. 🎤📚 This evening is all about community, creativity, and celebrating the beauty of spoken and written words.

I'm honored to share that I’ll be joining Cobb Switzer Library for their upcoming Open Mic Night on Wednesday, April 30th at 6PM in celebration of National Poetry Month. This is a beautiful space to gather in community, lift our voices, and honor the power of the written and spoken word.

National Poetry Month Spotlight What happens to a voice unheard? Or a dream deferred? This week’s featured poem sits in the silence, swells with truth, and stretches toward transformation. Let the words settle. Then let them stir you. 📌 Tag a poet who makes you feel something—

Wednesday night at 7PM tiny.utk.edu/sundress 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

So how do yall cope with mom asking when the next book comes out?

I have amazing news to share during National Poetry Month — my book Back to Alabama is officially on the shelves at Cobb County Library! 🙌🏾💃🏾 I followed up recently with Anna Frantz to check on the status of the book and she said, “Oh it’s already on the shelves!” 😭💛 I

THRILLED to have poems accepted for the White Winged Doves Stevie Nicks Anthology!

Looking forward to engaging with teachers from across the University System of Georgia at the USG Teaching and Learning Conference.

I am thrilled to be part of this amazing roster of poets for the White Winged Doves Poetry Anthology coming May 2026.

Because Black. Because She. Because We. ✊🏾 Black history isn’t just the past—it’s the present, the fight, the resilience, and the win. Because she black, because she hoop, because she dunk, because she tatted up. 🏀✍🏾 Because she locked up, because she free. Because she paid, because she write.

Playing Fleetwood Mac at my book signing at The Reading Attic in Marietta, GA.

Black men move through life carrying legacy, expectation, and the weight of survival—but the cards are always stacked. Some are taken by fame. Some by violence. Some by injustice. We pray. We fight. We grieve. We gather. Because their lives weren’t just theirs—they were ours.

From the Underground Railroad to Queen & Slim, Black stories have always been about escape, survival, and the pursuit of freedom—even when the road is uncertain. 🚗💨 Is freedom something we borrow, or something we claim? #BlackHistory #QueenAndSlim #OurStoriesMatter

I’m beyond excited to invite you to my book signing for Back to Alabama! Join me at The Reading Attic on Saturday, February 22nd, from 1-3 PM, where I’ll be signing copies, meeting readers, and sharing the journey behind the book. 📍 The Reading Attic 📅 Saturday, Feb 22 | 1-3 PM

I wrote my first poem at 9—The Sound of Sunshine, The Sound of Rain. Then life kept moving… 🏀 Varsity athlete (basketball, soccer, lacrosse) 🇺🇸 West Point for two years ✍🏾 Tossed away hundreds of poems before writing this book 🎶 Music? Always. It’s the heartbeat. 🙏🏾 I pray, I minister

Thanks to this prompt, I can now only write with this song on.

#TBT #throwbackthursday I had the absolute pleasure of sharing my work at the Book Worm Open Mic, curated by the amazing Sangster's Cafe. 🌧️ I read Rain on a September Morning, and let me tell you, that poem has been raining in me for months. #BookWormOpenMic #SpokenWordMagic #RainPoetry

Carpet – A Poetic Reflection on Sacred Ground ✨ Beneath our feet, a silent witness. A keeper of stories, of weight, of surrender. A thin threshold between earth and eternity—woven with comfort, stained with shame, yet rising with redemption. 🕊️ Press your soul into holy ground. #Carpet #SpokenWord

The first thing that surprised me at my residency: I brought 19 journals and found 34 pages of poems I hadn’t recorded. The discoveries from years past blew me away! By day 4 of a 2-week stay, I thought, Wow, I could be done! But with 8 more days to go, the journey deepened.

As a poet, I often reflect on the writers who've shaped my journey—like Jericho Brown, who virtually visited our class before earning the Pulitzer, or Claudia Rankine, Gregory Pardlo, and even Robert Frost. While I can’t rank them, each has left a lasting impression on me.

Legion, for we are many. Anthony Hill—a name remembered, a life mistaken. Unarmed but seen as a threat, his story of misunderstood battles and a broken system echoes since March 9, 2015. ✍🏾🖤 #AnthonyHill #SpokenWord #PoetryCommunity #PoetsOfInstagram #JusticeThroughArt #BlackLivesMatter #Poetry

✨ Writing is therapy—freeing, not stressful. It clears the mind, letting your true self shine. 🖋️ My journey blends youth, growth, and healing, shaped by pouring emotions onto the page. 💕 📚 How do you express your authentic self? Let’s share! #PoetsOfInstagram #WritingJourney #PoetryIsLife