Patti Ross shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Patti, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
I confess I am a museum nerd. I love to visit just about any museum and to read and browse the works. The museum could be visual art, history or culture; I will lose track of time. It’s meditative in a sense because after the visit my creative spirit feels uplifted and I am ready to create.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I founded EC Poetry and Prose Collective (ECPP) a few years ago. You can find more information at https://ecpoetryandprose.org/about-us/. ECPP is a nonprofit collective. We write and perform poetry. We share a love of language and truth-telling. After retiring, I felt I had much to say. I began reading my poetry aloud. This developed into a spoken-word art form for me. I perform under the moniker “Little Pi.” This name honors my great-great-grandmother, who enslaved as a child shared her story with family. ECPP members all have grand stories. These stories explain how and why they discovered poetry.
ECPP takes part in literary and arts festivals throughout Maryland and beyond. We recently partnered with The Write Women Book Festival, showcasing our members and poet family. We read and performed throughout the day. The festival attendance was outstanding. In the fall I will host panel discussions in September on creative non-fiction writing and in October on poetry; both will be on YouTube. The poetry panel includes several ECPP members. The poetry theme is: Souls Talking ~ A literary dialogue where poets and storytellers share soul-deep reflections on identity, resilience, and the craft of truth-telling. Souls Talking is a deep and resonant exchange. Poetry becomes a vessel for memory, resistance, and transformation. All are working writers; several are award-winning. It is going to be dope!
Besides ECPP, I run a small press with my business partner Terri Simon; Fallen Tree Press (https://fallentreepress.com/). We publish chapbooks only and typically publish two authors per year. We stay amazed at the high quality of submissions received. I wish we could publish more. As a creative, I know the vulnerability of public sharing. One of our goals is to promote the idea that all voices deserve the opportunity to be heard. “Peace~Poetry~Truth” is our motto.
We truly live by it. Thank you for this opportunity to share.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Love is a powerful emotion, capable of bringing both immense joy and profound heartache. While a genuine bond between individuals doesn’t vanish, it often
is altered, either strengthening or weakening over time. What appears as desertion or breakup may, in fact, be resilience. When love is present and nurtured, it fosters happiness and connection. Love is the most fundamental emotion, innate to our existence; other emotions become learned throughout life.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Your talent and creativity are yours; they define who you are and who you can become. Use them to create something beautiful. Ignore the naysayers; they know nothing of your capabilities. You know you.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, my daughter used to say to people, “What you see is what you get.” My friends can attest to this. I have several close friends who have known me for decades. When I was younger, I may have experienced imposter syndrome, given my early corporate success. However, I overcame that feeling when I left my first job and continued to advance in my career. That’s when I realized my talents, intuition, and skills were my own, and I could cultivate them wherever I chose.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes. 😘
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pattirossthepoet.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecpoetryprose
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parresources/
Image Credits
Nicholas Richard
Stephen Cherry
Duane Winfield
