Unraveling My Thoughts is a collection of poetry that explains my perspective on love, courage, grace, and humanity. It honors those who came before me like Maya Angelou, Martin Luther King & Malcolm X, it travels through my feelings about being angry after a love experience and ventures into the love of my great grandmother. It is my human experience gathered together and creating a symphony. As a poet and painter, I have performed many of these poems in venues from Atlanta through Canada. This is the "yes I do have a book" response to all those who have asked over the years. This is what people who care about my art will have to remember when I am no longer here. This is a dream manifested.
About the Author: Shanna Melton is a Poet, Painter and Art Consultant from Bridgeport, CT. As the Ambassador of Poetry, Shanna curates many poetry events which present local and international artistry to the Bridgeport Community. Shows she has produced include, Transcending Continents which brought local artists together with a music group from Senegal, Africa for a night of poetry and music. The Women Gather is an event inspired by the Nikki Giovanni poem of the same name. Women poets are celebrated and share their experiences through poetry and storytelling. In His Words. In the summer of 2013 and 2014, she brought excellent poets together for The Poem Mobile sponsored by Housatonic Community College and City Lore. The Writer's Group is created and presented by Shanna and sponsored by City Lights Gallery. This group gathers on the first and second Saturday of each month to use writing prompts which inspire the creative writing process. This program is also presented to students at New Beginnings Family Academy one day per week. Shanna is the founder of Lyrical Voices Night of Poetry & Arts and co-founder of Verses a night of poetry at the Nuyorican Poets Café presented by Urbintel Productions. In January 2011, Shanna was presented with a citation from The State of Connecticut through Bridgeport's Black Pride with their Woman to Know Award which is given to people who create positive change in their community in line with the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Shanna has exhibited her paintings in many poetry venues throughout the tri-state area She had solo exhibitions in venues which include The Barnum Museum, Bridgeport, CT. Her art is featured in "A Silent Genocide," and "Soldier Blues" a documentary and play created by Tantra Zawadi. She was among many talented artists exhibiting in The Margaret E. Morton City Hall Annex, Bridgeport, CT for the 2014 Black History Month Celebration. She is also on exhibit for the 2014 Beautiful Crime exhibit at The Ground Floor Gallery in the Read's Art Space, Bridgeport, CT. Fairfield University's Dogwood Journal of Poetry & Prose chose Shanna's "Esperanza Falling In" painting to grace the cover of their spring 2015 journal. This painting was also chosen by Southern Connecticut State University's 365 Days of Non Violence, 2015. African Voices Magazine recently featured Shanna's portrait of Kalief Browder in a tribute to his story in their Winter 2015-2016 publication.