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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24

@valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social
285 followers 181 following 113 posts

Poet. Teacher. Author of Back to Alabama www.valeriesmithwriter.com Fb Valerie A. Smith Poetry IG @Valeriesmithwriter TikTok @Valerie.smith6 LinkedIn Valerie A Smith, PhD

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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Six years in, and I just got the title to match the work. 🎓 Reviewed by my Department Chair, my Dean, the Provost, and ultimately approved by the President. Every level said yes. Six years down. Grateful for every section, every student, every lesson that made me better at this.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
There are some journeys you never really leave behind. Back to Alabama began as a return, not simply to a place, but to memories, family stories, questions, traditions, and the pieces of ourselves that time cannot erase.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Teaching poetry is about so much more than interpreting words on a page. It is an opportunity to engage with the world around us, ask meaningful questions, and explore the experiences that shape our lives.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Some places become sacred not because of where they are, but because of what happens there. The Carpet is a poem born from memory, faith, surrender, and transformation. It reflects on the ordinary things that quietly absorb our prayers, our tears, our questions, and our becoming.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Every book has a story behind it. Back to Alabama was born from memory, family, heritage, and the places that continue to shape who we are long after we've left them. Through poetry, I explore the threads that connect us to home, to history, and to ourselves.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Growth often begins with saying yes to something that scares you. For me, that meant going back to school, pursuing a master's degree, and walking into my first poetry workshop with more questions than answers. The experience stretched me, challenged me, and ultimately transformed me.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Sometimes healing arrives quietly. Not with grand announcements, but with a piece of fruit, a word of encouragement, a reminder that barren ground is not the end of the story. "Expert of the Apricot Groves" is a poem about recovery, renewal, and the people who help us recognize the harvests
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Sis, if God gave you the gift, He meant for you to use it. Sometimes it’s easy to feel small in a room full of big talent, but remember: your voice, your gift, your purpose, they’re all intentional. It’s ministry. It’s a calling. It’s YOU. 🙌🏾 Don’t let self-doubt steal what God has given you
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
There are seasons when we are called to labor, and there are seasons when we are called to trust. "Neither the One Who Plants" is a meditation on waiting, faith, renewal, and the quiet kindness found in God's timing.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Whether Alabama is your home or simply a place you've passed through, I hope these poems meet you wherever you are and remind you that our roots continue to nourish us, even from a distance. 📖 Back to Alabama is available now for $20. 💚 Cash App: $kv25549 💙 PayPal: @vsmithpoetry #BackToAlabama
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
I'm grateful for opportunities to share the stories and inspirations behind the collection. In 2024, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by The Sundress Blog, where I discussed poetry, family history, faith, Southern roots, and the experiences that shaped this book.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
From my roots at Georgia State University and Kennesaw State to the humbling experiences as a 2022 Tennessee Williams Scholar and 2020 Hambidge Center resident, this path has been a blend of storytelling, learning, and love for the craft. Thank you for welcoming me into your space
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
My grandmother, Southern steel and Sunday elegance, bold enough to snatch a snake mid-conversation, yet gentle enough to heal with her hands. She walked heavy, lived boldly, and never let fear call the shots. #LegacyOfStrength #WomenWhoRaisedUs #AncestralPower #SouthernGrit #BlackWomenStories
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
This moment from the University System of Georgia Teaching & Learning Conference already feels like a chapter tucked between the pages of a very full year. We gather as educators, researchers, writers, mentors, and learners, each carrying our own questions, experiences, and service for students.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
Every book has a story behind it. 'Back to Alabama' was born from memory, family, heritage, and the places that continue to shape who we are long after we've left them. Through poetry, I explore the threads that connect us to home, to history, and to ourselves.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
2026 has been such a blur. As I look back through the moments that have shaped this year, I came across this memory from the Faculty Reading: Celebration of New Faculty Publications at Kennesaw State University on March 26.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
As a poet, I believe our stories matter. They connect generations, preserve history, and help us understand one another a little more deeply. If you enjoy poetry that speaks to the heart, honors culture, and reflects on life's journeys, I invite you to take this journey with me. 📖 Back to Alabama
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Time has a way of moving faster than we realize. It was a privilege to spend time with Fred Perryman, Gregory Andrews (brother of the late author Raymond Andrews), and Randy Latimer, nephew of renowned artist Benny Andrews, who was scheduled to share remarks at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Last month, My heart was filled with joy! I had the tremendous honor to serve as Judge for the Raymond Andrews Prize. Congrats to Tenley and all the finalists for writing such amazing stories. Thank you Jesse Freeman, Morgan County African American Museum, and the Raymond Andrews Family.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
I’m honored to be one of the contributors featured in White Winged Doves: A Stevie Nicks Poetry Anthology, a project celebrating the artistry, spirit, and legacy of the iconic Stevie Nicks. Join us virtually for a special reading alongside e Reserve your spot here: tinyurl.com/3f3bemk5
tinyurl.com
White Winged Doves: A Stevie Nicks Poetry Anthology Virtual Reading - Zoom Webinar - May 26th 2026 | Afton Tickets
White Winged Doves: A Stevie Nicks Poetry Anthology Virtual Reading | Zoom Webinar | May 26th 2026
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
There’s something sacred about witnessing young voices find their rhythm on the page… and this year’s Raymond Andrews Prize for Creative Writing reminded me just how powerful that is. As guest judge, I had the honor of reading work that was rich with imagination, honesty, and courage.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
For #NationalPoetryMonth, we’re lifting the verses that break chains and build bridges amplifying the voices that spark revolutions in silence. 🎤 Drop a 🔊 if these words found you. #SpokenWord #PoetryReel #BlackPoetsMatter #WordIsBond #NationalPoetryMonth #PoetryAsResistance
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
I’m honored to be presenting at the Popular Culture Association 2026 Annual Conference in Atlanta, where scholars and storytellers from around the world gather to explore the meaning woven into culture. If you’re in the room, come sit with me. #PCACON2026 #PlaceBasedPoetry #PoetryMonth
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
April said bring your truth to the mic… so here we are. 🎤✨ Some words don’t get written this month, they rise up, unannounced, like they’ve been waiting on you. This womb survived. This body carried. This soul? Still standing ten toes down.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
From the Underground Railroad to Queen & Slim, Black stories have always been about escape, survival, and the pursuit of freedom, even when the road is uncertain. 🚗💨 Drop a ✊🏾 if you’re still walking in the legacy of those who ran before us. #BlackHistory #QueenAndSlim #OurStoriesMatter
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
Last weekend, I had the honor of sitting in conversation at the Southern Studies Conference at Auburn University at Montgomery, and what a gift it was.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Because Black. Because She. Because We. ✊🏾 Black history isn’t just the past, it’s the present, the fight, the resilience, and the win. Because she black, because she hoop, because she dunk, because she tatted up. 🏀✍🏾 Because she locked up, because she free. #BlackHistoryInMotion #Brittneygriner
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
This Saturday!! I'm honored to share space and words at this Black History Month Open Mic Night. Grateful for community, poetry, and the stories that carry us. Come listen. Come feel. Come remember. February 21 | Acworth, GA
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
🖤 "We count you in the number…" 🖤 Black men move through life carrying legacy, expectation, and the weight of survival—but the cards are always stacked. Some are taken by fame. Some by violence. Some by injustice. Jimi. Michael. Prince. Kobe. Trayvon. Ahmaud. George. We pray. We fight.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
To the ones who held it down, held us up, and kept their joy rooted in resistance This one’s for you. 💐 In the spirit of "Black Woman" by Georgia Douglas Johnson, we honor the strength wrapped in softness, the sacrifice laced in silence, and the beauty born through struggle.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Honored to share space and words at this Black History Month Open Mic Night. Grateful for community, poetry, and the stories that carry us. Come listen. Come feel. Come remember. February 21 | Acworth, GA
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
One day, I will return. Because there’s a pull in me I can’t explain without my voice catching. A longing that feels older than my name. As African Americans, many of us carry a phantom desire—to go back. Back to Mississippi. Back to Alabama. Back to Africa. It’s not nostalgia. It’s memory.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
One day, I will return. Because there’s a pull in me I can’t explain without my voice catching. A longing that feels older than my name. As African Americans, many of us carry a phantom desire—to go back. Back to Mississippi. Back to Alabama. Back to Africa. It’s not nostalgia. It’s memory.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
“You say I’m your favorite place to visit, and I laugh, because I’m in your feet, standing on my shoulders.” This poem lives in the tension between beauty and history. Between tourism and truth. A city speaking for itself. #Poetry #PersonaPoem #Charleston #BlackWriters #WordsThatCarryHistory
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Sophisticated white dress sings the blues. Brown skin remembers. Feet lift the floor into testimony. This is Black joy in motion— muscle, memory, sweat, and sway. If you feel it, you know. If you don’t… you ain’t grown enough to get in. 🖤🎷 #ValerieThePoet #ErnieBarnes #TheSugarShack #BlackArt
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
For Cyber Monday, I’m keeping it sweet and intentional. When you buy one copy of Back to Alabama, I’m gifting you another for free. My way of saying thank you for supporting my words and helping this story find new homes. #cybermonday #backtoalabama #poetrylovers
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
For Cyber Monday, I’m keeping it sweet and intentional. When you buy one copy of Back to Alabama, I’m gifting you another for free. My way of saying thank you for supporting my words and helping this story find new homes. #cybermonday #backtoalabama #poetrylovers
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
For Small Business Saturday, when you buy one copy of Back to Alabama, I’m giving you a second one free. Your support helps these stories live. Cashapp kv25549 Venmo vsmith_25549 #smallbusinesssatruday #sbs #backtoalabama #poetrylovers
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
For Today only, This is my Black Friday special: Buy one, get one FREE. Plus a postcard and an exclusive debut recording from My new poetry collection. A perfect gift for poetry lovers. For just $20 Cashapp kv25549 Venmo vsmith_25549 #blackfriday #blackfridaypoetry #backtoalabama #poetrylovers
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
Happy Saturday! Check out my new poem With Mom. Thrilled to be published in Hamilton Stone Review.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
Reading with Birmingham Poetry Review Tuesday November 4th uab.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
Looking forward! I will be reading Back to Alabama for Birmingham Poetry Review's Zoom Reading Series. Tues Nov 4th. 7pm CST uab.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Because Black. Because She. Because We. ✊🏾 Black history isn’t just the past—it’s the present, the fight, the resilience, and the win. Because she black, because she hoop, because she dunk, because she tatted up. 🏀✍🏾 Because she locked up, because she free. Because she paid, because she write.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Here's the video! Thanks for an Amazing reading with MonicaWeatherly @notebookscltv.bsky.social
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
For every woman who has been told to shrink, to be quiet, to make herself smaller than she is—this is for you. 💛 We have carried weightless burdens, sat with our knees pressed together, made room for others while feeling like we had none for ourselves. But listen, you are seen. You belong.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
To the ones who held it down, held us up, and kept their joy rooted in resistance— This one’s for you. 💐 In the spirit of "Black Woman" by Georgia Douglas Johnson, we honor the strength wrapped in softness, the sacrifice laced in silence, and the beauty born through struggle.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
The mic is our altar. The pen, our prayer. "Caseloads of young, the North Star foggy. When I was a child someone hit me so hard I lost my sense of beauty. I hear the ocean beating where the ice marches over the shore. Freedom is the choice to cross a river— tell a child another world exists."
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
As a poet, I often reflect on the writers who've shaped my journey—like Derrick O'Brown, who virtually visited our class before earning the Pulitzer, or Claudia Rankine, Gregory Pardlo, and even Robert Frost. While I can’t rank them, each has left a lasting impression on me.
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
@kevonstage.bsky.social I got your book! Hit me up for your signed copy of Back to Alabama! And one for Mrskevonstage too!
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Valerie A. Smith, Back to Alabama, Sundress '24 @valeriesmithpoetry.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
Teaching poetry is more than just analyzing words on a page—it's about exploring the world we live in. I’m considering not only the books we’ll read but also the deeper discussions we’ll have. This is a space to use poetry as a lens to examine the social issues of our time.
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