Poet By Nature with N'nako Kande: " Natural" a conversation with Kelly Hanwright
- N'nako Kande'
- Apr 19, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 8
Happy Spring 2024.
Welcome to another season of our Poet by Nature Series.
With Earth Day 2024 being just a few days away, it's time to reconnect with nature lovers and poetic souls.
Today's poem is from poet, author, and artist Kelly Hanwright, a fellow member of the Rhyme N Chatt organization which I have been a part of for the past two and half years or so.
Aside from sharing the stage on a few occasions, Kelly and I also share a love for nature and hiking and a commitment to mental health.
The artwork below is an original artwork she painted this week.
Artwork by Kelly Hanwright
Natural
by Kelly Hanwright
A natural life is what I want
where yellow spaghetti willows hang down
over days crested by a sun so scorching hot
it will burn the obscurity from your soul
in just ten minutes.
The home I make there is
grown up with vines,
permeated with love,
tranquility,
and nourishment.
In the doorway
hangs a colorful rag curtain to block out
only the weather and wind.
On the stoop,
a bright-eyed dog
drowsily enjoys the permanent light.
Memories of Poetic Moments shared with Kelly!
Chattown Poets June 2, 2022.
On this occasion, we both shared three poems and answered questions related to the poems.
I performed my poems in French and English and illustrated them with props. One of them being a veil that I always wear when I share the Self-Love Blessing which you can enjoy on YouTube or listen to on Spotify or Apple Music.
You can enjoy the whole night of poetry here Chattown Poets
Closing the evening, holding copies of the books we both shared our poetry from. Kelly's Locust Year and My Potions & Passions, one of my 9 solo books, and the first book I illustrated with my artwork.
A more recent memory we shared together when we were making history with Rhyme N Chatt as the first poets to Rock The Riverfront.
Mixing poetry with Live Music performed by Zowie Boyd & her band was such a special and beautiful experience.
Since the nature (pun intended of this series is to encourage more people to connect with nature, please subscribe to the Blog for more Poet by Nature features and check The Trail Life series and The Art of Rooting Conversation series.
Get a copy of The Art of Rooting on Amazon or contact me for signed copies or bookings.
This Earth Day 2024, be more intentional in committing to a greener lifestyle; every effort counts.
If you have some children or young people in your life, get some copies of Little Corey & Cousin Nia's Fun Trip to the Farmers Market and enjoy a story that would inspire you to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle and take you to three continents.
Bio - Kelly Hanwright (aka AuthentiK) is a poet, artist, and blogger. She lives in the beautiful Smoky mountains with her 2 dogs, tiger-cat, and a very old guinea pig. Raised by a parent with untreated mental illness, she seeks to empower others to give voice to their trauma through writing, to raise awareness of mental health journeys, and to erase stigma. Find her works, including publication links, on her website at kellyhanwright.com. Find her memoir in poetry. The Locust Years, on amazon.com
Which of Kelly's lines spoke the most to you?
What do you like most about the painting?
When was the last time you spent time in nature?
Journal about the way nature benefits your well-being and mental health.
Thank you for joining our Poetic Nature!
Visit the Blog to enjoy more stories, visit the "Shop," contact us for an order, email for event bookings or speaking or cultural workshops, get some books for yourself, or donate to a school or a group. N'nako Kande' Amazon.com : n'nako kande
If this is your first time here, meet the author, your host, bilingual poet and artist: N'nako Kande
N’nako Kandé is a ceremonial entrepreneur, bilingual poet, painter, illustrator, and multidisciplinary artist whose work lives at the intersection of Nature, Art, and Kulture (N A K). Born in Côte d’Ivoire and shaped by Paris, the American Midwest, and over 20 years in Tennessee and Georgia, she creates through rhythm, ancestry, and the land.
She is the niece of the illustrious and legendary Guinean musician Mory Kanté, whose global influence helped carry West African musical heritage into international consciousness. Her artistic lineage also includes a profound connection to the late Toumani Diabaté, the world‑renowned Malian kora master who was named one of the fifty greatest African artists across media. Toumani, father of French star Sidiki Diabaté, served as the parrain (godfather) of the kora recording in her Self‑Love Blessing project, offering his guidance and blessings before his passing in 2024. His legacy includes two Grammy Awards for his collaborations with Ali Farka Touré and a lifetime of elevating the kora to global audiences.
N’nako is the founder of Kande Kulture, a wearable storytelling brand where each culturally inspired hoodie includes a QR code linking to a YouTube story that explains the meaning and heritage behind the phrase.
A prolific author, she has written over twelve books, including The Art of Rooting, which received the International Impact Book Award. Her creative work spans poetry, photography, painting, mixed‑media illustration, culinary storytelling, and culturally rooted educational coloring books.
Her artistic and cultural contributions have been featured in international documentaries produced in collaboration with Chattanooga Sister Cities, highlighting her global perspective and her commitment to cultural remembrance.
She is also the creator of the Self‑Love Blessing EP (French + English, released January 13, 2023) and the Self‑Love Blessing Trilingual Lyrics & Treasured Memories Book (released June 15, 2024), featuring French, Spanish, and English lyrics, behind‑the‑scenes photos, and stories from the making of the EP.
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