We all know one… some of us date them, some of us keep them as friends… some of us watch them from across the room wondering what exactly they keep in that small leather bound journal on their lap… hell some of us even BREED them!
Poets.
They are often an allusive breed, overly outspoken yet deeply brooding, they appear to move in metaphors and think in rhyme. Often quoting philosophical or political texts and even when there are no horizons to be seen they always seem to find one to stare into…. Oh, and don’t get me started on the emotions.
At this time of year it can be a mystifying experience to have a Poet in your life. How to let them know that you care, that you love them. How to let them know they are worthy of being heard, seen. WHAT DO YOU GIVE A POET?! They can be so inward, yet so out-there! And of course you always run the risk of getting them the wrong thing and suffering a years worth of passive aggressive poetry and prose about your failure (unless you are dating a slam poet, then just sit back and wait to be told…LOUDLY exactly what you did wrong).

So being the helpful Poet I am I have compiled a fail-safe list of possible gifts you could buy your household Poet this Christmas.
So read, enjoy and make a Poet happy this season.

1) Hand bound journal
The space a Poet writes their soul is a very special place. Gifting your Poet with a hand bound journal (such as this beautiful wood bound one from JonathanDayBookArt on etsy) is a great way to encourage their habit and let them know their words are worthy of more than a napkin. A few things to consider when buying a Poet a book, a) The first page is the hardest to write on, so fill it yourself with a beautiful message for your Poet. b) The paper choice is important, handmade paper is pretty but very un-enjoyable to write on, I personally like a sturdy watercolour paper though most Poets would go for an off-white ivory paper because it adds more emotion and depth to the words (a bit like sepia filters in photography). c) If it is a soft cover book it MUST have a way of staying closed otherwise all the pages get bent and crumpled and your Poet will cry.
Also note your Poet may also be a Vegan, so be wary of leather unless you have personally seen them chomp down on cheese.

2) A Poet pin-badge
Every Poet secretly wants everyone to know they are a poet without having to tell them. This ingenious little button pin (by Universalerror on etsy ) does all the work for them, letting the world know how much of a Poet they really are. Who knows, some international publisher may see this button badge and decide to publish them right then and there based solely on the confidence they clearly have in themselves and their qualifications as a Poet.

3) Poetry as life – experiential
Remember that poetry is more than words on a page, it is a life lived! Treat your special Poet with an opportunity of a Poetic Life. Plan a day of adventure, romance, or even a gentle trip to nature. All of these things are perfect feeding ground for their poetic imagination. Though remember to give your Poet plenty of space on your special day to sit with a Tall White and their new journal at a café or on a conveniently placed park bench so they can really experience being a Poet in this special place.

4) Block Breakers
Many Poets suffer from reoccurring bouts of Writers Block. This is like tennis elbow, or Athletes foot to a Poet, they can not be what they can not do! If you ever see your poet looking miserable, melodramatic and lonely they are probably suffering from Writers Block. A perfect gift for your Poet at Christmas is a block-breaking device such as this awesome book by Keri Smith , Wreck This Journal, which offers up 1001 (that’s an estimate) ways to totally destroy the journal. A great source of inspiration and a lot of fun for your Poet.

5) An opportunity to Speak Up their poetry

Now many Poets are shy and introverted types who dream of being able to speak their words but would never be so brazen as to create that opportunity for themselves lest somebody actually HEARS them and has an opinion of their poetry… which means the world will collapse… literally.
What is really going on of course is self-sabotage, self-criticism and self-judgement. If you are lucky enough to have a Poet in Melbourne then I highly recommend buying them a place on my (genuinely) incredible and transformational Spoken Word course Speak Up. If you DON’T happen to be in Melbourne then a gentle and safe opportunity for your Poet to share their words to an appreciative and attentive audience can be a magical experience for any Poet.

6) Tickets to any of the incredible spoken word events in your city

Melbourne, where this Poet resides, is bursting at the seams with incredible Spoken Word and Poetry events from slams to readings and competitions to reflective sharing spaces. If you want to find the perfect event for your Poet in Melbourne then check out MelbourneSpokenWord.com as they have a concise and detailed list of all poetry events in Melbourne. If you are unlucky enough to live in one of the thousands of other cities in the world then TRUST me there is an event out there which is perfect for your Poet to find like minded people and to source inspiration and juju from.

7) Tacky yet cute Poet based jewellery
For the Jewellery wearing Poets out there, or for the Special Poet in your life, Etsy is literally scattered with awesome dangley, shiney and creative poetry inspired gift ideas. Here are a few unique ones I found to get you started:

Pen nib earrings by TrashandTrinkets on Etsy

These cute mini-journal necklaces by AV workshop on Etsy.

Poetry Scarves! By Storiarts on Etsy.

Well hopefully one, if not all, of these Poet based Christmas Hacks will bring great joy to the poet in your life this Christmas and I hope that this blog has helped spark a few ideas for you. If you DO get your Poet one of the above, or think of anything else that is PERFECT for a poet, then leave me a comment and let me know how it goes!

Enjoy.

Blessings
Fleassy Malay