Tara Msiska

I have always loved poetry, from nursery rhymes my mum read to me as a child, to children's poetry books and anthologies as I grew up. I first started writing "poems" at home when I was six and have not stopped since. One of my poems was published in an anthology, 'Bright Voices', when I was 13. I was also given the opportunity to read one of my poems, 'Suffragette', on ITV's 'Lookaround' at age 17. I could not have developed my interest in writing poetry without the support and encouragement of my mum, who bought me literally hundreds of books and got me my first library card when I was 8 months old. Thank you to the teachers of Hawick High School who helped me improve my poems and gave me opportunities to share them at school assemblies and on television in 2007. My favourite poets are Kipling, Baudelaire and Yeats.  I've loved Baudelaire since my mum read 'Flowers of Evil' to me when I was 9, and I just appreciated it more and more as I grew up.  Although most of these poems were written while I was a teenager, I turned 20 this April and I don't plan to stop writing anytime soon! I'm currently studying law but poetry will always have a place in my life.

Tara Msiska's Poetry

• The Doughnut
• Queen Neferti's Lullaby
• Inheritance
• Innocence Lost
• Silent Night
• Strawberry Tart