Slumped Poet
The dynamic of love and loss, reflected in the poetic cadence of
Melanie Cruz-Gorra’s life
the giving - dedicated to community & connection.
thank you, friend.
a time so bittersweet, & there is too much sugar rushing through my veins for me to articulate my feelings this holiday through a post on my feed or even quick pics on my story. so i sit this morning and write one for y’all to.. just listen to the art so telling. it’s thanksgiving.
& my heart aches today, although not from the breaking. moreso abundance of love intaking from places all over. between familiar smiles at every bar off 23rd,the art feeding my creativity through music or words, and in turn simply finding the high in being sober.. i wouldn’t alter a thing. i have found life in the ghosting… been fed truth after neglection and lying. im the star shining bright now since finding a space with planets aligning. it’s a shame though, being so grateful yet no dining table to fill with people, good vibes to kill the evil eye, the mind can be so powerful with nobody policing the crime of having so much, yet still feeling so poor. never hungry, but always seeking more. probably why i go in, no question, through every door. never asked for my ID… but now im thinking maybe that explains not having an identity to remember. scared they misread the expiration, but instead did my gender. happened so much, the dysphoria won. now i can’t tell which mel looks better. but that’s neither here nor there.
considering i’m nowhere and everywhere all the time. not a god, but stay in tune with the divine. i know all the blessings spoken into existence are mine. i just get whiplash and proceed to go blind when i realize change is not exclusive to the seasons, nor does it always have a reason. friendships evolve and sometimes it gets too hard to keep ‘em .
separation, like magnets, never close enough to connect again. these days it’s better to keep my distance; be selfish to value my peace and this autumn, im falling in love with my own company. confusing how it’s time for family, yet on opposing sides of the country. i’d call, some days too late - others too early. but honestly, it’s probably sunday morning and my mom’s at church. praying for sustenance to feed my future. so eager to see me grow up. though first i must grow out of these hand-me-down’s; the genes given to me don’t suit me now. i’ve lost about 70 pounds… aside from the shedding of the weight i carried in those wedding vows. rid of the baggage so i wouldn’t drown. floating the ocean of possibility sounds … like a dream.
Somewhat of a fantasy always believed was out of reach. Belittled my worth so much, now I crave security. So i’m pulling these strings; flying my kite of wishful thinking. It’s shocking how quickly one can fall at the switch of the wind’s breeze. Difficult when the grip of reality is slipping.
So i think i’ll keep my head in the clouds, my body needs the sleep.
just don’t forget to wake me before the rain and lightning creep [around] and drown me.
Above is an original piece by Melanie Cruz-Gorra, founder of Slumped Poets Society.
REWIND
Melanie was born and raised in Hialeah, Florida, in Miami-Dade County. Her initial knowledge and appreciation for music and the arts stemmed from her Cuban family. As a first-generation American, she grew up in a predominantly Spanish-speaking household. When asked about her earliest encounters with poetry, Melanie recalled her sixth-grade teacher, Mr. Caceres, who introduced her class to poets like Edgar Allan Poe and Sylvia Plath. She looked up to him for many reasons, explaining how she admired his fearlessness in being himself – he was her first outspoken gay teacher. She explained that he would create a safe space at the end of the class and allow her to recite poetry to her fellow students, giving her an open floor, which sparked her desire to perform. “I feel like he saw something in me”. Thus, a baby Slumped Poet was born!
Melanie appreciated the poets she learned about in class, as they were very raw and uncensored. A beautiful way to learn the truth of life, since this perspective highlights the unapologetic beauty of being a human. Those who had the most influence on Melanie’s love for poetry weren’t just poets, but rather, rappers. Her dad’s favorite rapper was Eminem, and growing up, hers was Lil Wayne. “I loved how good they were with their words. The science behind making literature, poetry, and art is just amazing to me.” Her cadence is very similar to that of J. Cole and Eminem. Mac Miller and Twenty One Pilots were also big inspirations for her. She admires how these artists rap and sing in a way that paints a picture, which is how she likes to write.
When Melanie got into high school, she was introduced to an after-school program that recruited students to spread awareness of social issues. This group was a non-profit organization that traveled to different areas and embraced the unique culture dynamics they encountered. Cruz-Gorra’s school culture was deeply rooted in Spanish language and Latino traditions, so they decided to name themselves “UVT”, the “UV” stands for Una Voz, meaning “The One Voice Troupe”. “We decided on this name because we were all different people – we looked different, came from different backgrounds – but were all one voice.” UVT would visit various high school and college campuses to raise awareness about bullying and drug use. “This program allowed me to incorporate many of the arts I loved, like theatre and choir, by performing skits.” She shared that UVT taught her about meditation, gave her lifelong friends, and was, overall, the best program she could have been in as a kid.
Melanie moved to Oklahoma right before the pandemic, as her former partner had to relocate for military purposes. She ended up marrying young and began to feel very isolated, which led to immense mental struggles. The relationship ultimately felt like the death of her passion, and with the world’s uncertainty during that time, it felt as though all the walls were caving in. After her divorce, she stopped pursuing all of her artistic passions.
Just when she felt ready to completely put away this crucial part of herself, Melanie met someone named Kyli Hammond in 2023. Kyli was the founder of Oklahoma Women’s Journal and was accepting submissions, which caught Cruz-Gorra’s interest. Mel decided to submit one of her older pieces. At the time, she wasn’t actively writing, but Kyli published her work. After that, they became friends, and Kyli quickly became one of Melanie’s biggest motivators, helping to reignite her passion for writing. Kyli Hammond passed away in the summer of 2024.
Melanie’s remembrance of the compassionate ray of hope that was Kyli Hammond:
“She lives on through everything she has done through me and our community. She pushed and inspired me. I’ve never met someone with as much drive to pursue their passion as her, and she continues to motivate me. She lit a spark in me that was dying.”
Rest in Peace and Poetry, Kyli.
NEW SHIT
Melanie had always been big on community, but she often felt like she didn’t really have friends. Then, one night, by sheer coincidence, someone approached her with an offer during a Haus Lab Halloween event in 2024. Her now dear friend Will told her he had seen her poetry on social media and said he could help her get an open mic spot. “I know it was God’s timing, because after that, it took less than three days to get it all figured out,” Mel explained. When talking about the aspirations behind her open mic night, she told me her hope was simply to create a space where people could feel comfortable hanging out with one another. A space for people to be themselves and grow in their community. Her Instagram handle was already “Slumped Poet”, so the name “Slumped Poets Society” was decided fairly quickly, partially inspired by the movie Dead Poets Society, and the idea that she is “slumped off the bars of poetry.” The art of poetry is ever so complex and mind-boggling, so I myself love the name! She promoted Slumped Poets Society all October and started official open mics in November at Hubbly Bubbly in OKC.
One of Melanie’s biggest challenges is keeping up with social media posts and staying relevant. “It’s so exhausting to stay relevant, because there are times I want to seclude myself. I have to network and get the word out. I have this inner-rejected girl in my life, so I’m always scared people aren’t going to show up on poetry nights. I’m struggling with finding my niche. What is Slumped Poet? But I think it’s very freeing to realize that I don’t have to fit in a box. Let the niche find itself. It’s hard, but it’s my passion, so it fuels itself. I just feel really excited about it, watching it grow, it’s my baby.”
Open Mic Night Rules:
One piece/six minutes. (Whichever comes first)
Be slumped on stage, be swift to hear your name! (Miss your place, learn to wait)
Feedback friendly but keep the feedback friendly! (“Spit poet” and snaps are encouraged)
CREATE COMMUNITY! (Get an Insta, remember a name. Socialize and make a friendly face)
“I like to build community. That’s one of my rules for open mic. Create community, remember a face, get someone’s name or Instagram handle – something. Don’t be embarrassed or have too much pride!” Melanie humbly explained her belief in God and The Bible and talked about the importance of loving your neighbor. “You can’t control who your neighbor is. You don’t control who lives next to you. No matter what they believe in, or what color they are. You can either accept it or leave.”
SPIT POET
Melanie’s creative process in her own writing involves seemingly endless repetition, which leads to the constant reworking of her pieces. She explained that she has to type quickly to keep up with her mind. To emphasize inflection, she will italicize, underline, or bold words so she doesn’t lose cadence. When she faces a poet’s worst enemy, (writer’s block), she switches to something different, something fun. Her side projects often start off silly, even when the topic is serious. This practice has become like therapy to Melanie – like a journal. “You don’t have to take yourself so serious.”
“Recently, I want to say that my poetry has been more shaped around my spiritual journey, where God is taking me, and where he brought me from. I want to be as transparent and open about my struggles and spiritual journey as possible. I don’t like making it appear in a way that it has been easy. Yes, God answers, but at the same time, it’s been a battle. I wrote in a poem that even though I am blessed, I am still flesh. So, it’s going to be a struggle. The spirit and flesh don’t align with one another – they don’t get along. I have a reoccurring theme that has been going on in my poetry for the last couple of years, which is the dynamic of love and loss. With my divorce and then finding God, it’s a dynamic I’m still trying to comprehend the depths of. That’s why I write, because I’m trying to understand something – a feeling.”
When asked about the future, Cruz-Gorra expressed that she wants Slumped Poets Society to grow in the work that people bring. She talked about making more than just one event a month, getting into competitive slam poetry, and giving more opportunities for musicians to get involved. Although Melanie has a fear of failure and struggles with feeling inconsistent in her work, she knows that her baby, Slumped Poets Society, is going to go very far, and will continue to gain more support to back it up.
love filling my cup
“…I love the love that fills my cup; the love of:
Poetry
My community and how they think of me… and my poetry (about my honey, specifically)
New friends, forming connections,
love flower arrangements and the sound of my voice again..
finding a sense of direction through skates and the click of a pen…
I love the romance and softness found in loving with intent.
loving to ask for help while still feeling independent,
and not be shamed
cause I'm learning
I love the love inside me; one that’s burning sparks forever - never breaks.
only molds
into whatever love that formed me before so,
I love love.”
Above is another beautiful piece by the bad @$$ ballad that is Melanie Cruz-Gorra.
*SNAPS
Melanie has exciting news for herself and the future of Slumped Poets Society, so, stay tuned!
