Beltsville poet discovers rhythm in everyday life

Thursday, March 8, 2007

Beltsville poet discovers rhythm in everyday life

Carissa Schorback’s writings published in book

by Dennis Carter | Staff Writer

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Greg Dohler⁄The Gazette

Carissa Schorback of Beltsville recently wrote and published her first book of poems, ‘‘When Willows Weep.”

Carissa Schorback sat up in bed one night, woken by stirring thoughts of rhythms and rhymes. Schorback, then 12 years old, hopped out of bed, grabbed a pen and paper and jotted down what would be her first poem.

Fifteen years later, the Beltsville resident has composed hundreds of poems, drawing on the inspiration of everyday life.

Fifty-two of her best works were published in her first book, ‘‘When Willows Weep,” which was released in mid-February.

Schorback said sleep-induced inspiration is nothing new.

‘‘That’s actually how a lot of my poems come to me. I wake up, and they’re in my head,” said Schorback, 27, a product of the Beltsville education experience — graduating from Beltsville Elementary, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School and High Point High School. ‘‘Sometimes I’m surprised by how quickly they come to me. ... I feel like my poems just write themselves sometimes, and I’m merely holding the pen.”

‘‘When Willows Weep,” published by Frederick County-based PublishAmerica, was named for one of Schorback’s favorite poems. The following is an excerpt from the poem:

When willows weep and sparrows cry,

When mama to her young says bye,

When breaking hearts ask softly why,

When willows weep and sparrows cry.

‘‘I’ve always been inspired by things going on around me,” said Schorback, adding that her creative juices were in full force during intellectually invigorating courses at High Point and University of Maryland University College (UMUC), where she is a junior. ‘‘I’m a lover of words ... and I get inspired by the works of other poets. I love to absorb someone else’s words and someone else’s experiences.”

Schorback said she was a shy student but her reluctance to pursue writing was challenged when she was at High Point.

It was Sheila Braxton, an English teacher at the time, who recognized Schorback’s artistry and encouraged the young writer to pursue higher education.

‘‘She never used to have a whole lot of self confidence,” said Braxton, a school administrator for 35 years who is now chairman of the English department at High Point. ‘‘But I have watched her blossom. I cannot put into words how proud I am of her.”

When Braxton met Schorback for lunch one day last month at Calverton’s TJ Restaurant, the poet had a surprise message for the teacher: ‘‘When Willows Weep” would be dedicated to her.

‘‘I was just absolutely overwhelmed,” Braxton said. ‘‘It brought tears to my eyes.”

Schorback, who majors in English and minors in journalism, also does some newspaper writing, but said poetry remains her writing of choice.

‘‘I love how versatile poetry can be,” she said. ‘‘And poetry has always come naturally to me. ... I enjoy having a poetic license.”

‘‘When Willows Weep” can be purchased for $11.95 at www.publishamerica.com or for $14.05 at www.amazon.com.

E-mail Dennis Carter at dcarter@gazette.net.