Odin is a 17 year old writer who grew up on Vancouver Island after immigrating from the Middle East at the age of four. For Odin, poetry is more of a lifeline than a hobby. It is their way of processing the ache of existence into something tangible. Odin grapples with their mental health, a significant component of their reality which has led to their current and past several years residing in hospital. They believe that honesty and authenticity, though scary, are brave and necessary forms of advocacy. Odin considers their relationship with nature a deeply important aspect of their life. They can be found upside down in trees, connecting with their inner bat, or spinning barefoot in the rain whenever the opportunity grants itself. Odin is still searching for themself, even through these words which may appear conclusive. They are grateful for opportunities such as The Michael Coleman Visual Poetry Competition, which encourage them to define that search through expression, unhidden and honest. To be seen and heard, Odin believes, is to be actualized; validated and held ‘here’ in the uncertainty of it all. They are grateful for the symbiosis provided by you, who listens — you, whose perspective would not exist if it was not as vital as it is.
