My name is Ruth Beecher. I am originally from Jamaica. I am a writer and I am the author of Invisible Heroes published in Hear Our Stories, An Anthology of Writings on Migration.

My writing journey started when I was living in Hampshire during the COVID pandemic. I had just moved there from London just after the first major lockdown. I was new to the area and couldn’t do much integrating as there was still restrictions. I used to join Zoom sessions with an organisation that I am a part of called Migrants Organise that helps migrants. We used to have a Zoom writing session. There were members who were living in different parts of the country and the Zoom sessions were to stop us from being isolated and to help our mental health. We would meet on Zoom on a Wednesday evening and there would be different topics to write on. We had a really lovely and supportive teacher who always make sure she is always on the sessions.

We did an online exhibition with the Gate theatre. I wrote two poems for the exhibition called Lessons from a Bird Feeder and Finding Home.

Writing helped me a lot during the pandemic by not feeling isolated and not being bored. I made some very good friends. And now I am back living in London we have all still continued to be friends.

I came across Writing Room through a case worker at Migrants Organise who told me about the courses – that they were very good and the tutors were great to learn with. She got me signed up to a course and I did the Introduction to Creative Writing Part 2 with Alison Chandler. She is one of the best teachers that I have ever met. She helps you to learn at your own pace. Her favourite saying is that she is “bringing out what is already inside of you”.

She has helped me to become a much better writer. I have also just completed the Part 1 course in Creative writing with her. 

I also did the Finding the Poem course with Paul Lyalls. He teaches in a very fun but informative way.

Writing Room has been a rock for me during very difficult times and circumstances. I have had a lot struggles with poor internet connection and sometimes I have to abandon a session but I never gave up the course and I still continued.

I wrote this poem in Paul’s poetry course . I really love this poem.  It is called  Triangular Hour, and is built around titles of artworks. Everyone was given a different theme to write on and make a poem.

Triangular Hour

Sitting at the start of the Triangular Hour, 

I thought everyone is my friend.

Living Still Life and not holding 

a grudge against bad people.

And not being angry with them

when I know that all they are looking for 

is for me to help them with their situation. 

As a Spider of the Evening I want

to help as many people as I can.

The Accomodation of Desire is this –

I don’t want them to see or abuse 

my kindness as a form of weakness,

as I sleep into the Atavism of Twilight.