May 2022 - Feature Artist - Kris Rouille

About the Feature -

Kris Rouille is a Florida-born poet whom now calls New England their home. Kris is known for doing something creative at all times, whether it be poetry, crafting, jewelry making or trying to make everyone around them laugh (usually with clever dad jokes.) Kris is quickly making their presence known in the Lowell poetry world, with multiple poems published in Untitled’s Speak Easy anthology and CALAA’s Stilt House Zine Issue 03, as well as slamming with the Mill City Speaks Poetry Slam team. Despite only starting writing poetry in 2019, Kris has quickly grown to love the art of spoken word and self describes her work as a “cheaper than therapy” way of healing.

Featured piece - Love Becomes Me

The most beautiful thing about me is, when I like something I let it become me. I never love lightly. Love is a typhoon in my heart. I drown in love.

I let love fill my lungs and drag me deep into the unknown. I don’t try to grasp on to reality as I sink into situations I’ve never experienced before. I’m not scared of getting hurt, I’d rather feel pain than nothing at all. Then I would know my love was real.

When I think of something I love, it clouds my brain. I become obsessed. There is nothing else in my world that exists as long as love is on my brain. My only language is love.

I was created from love. My body was molded from love. I spent time learning to love the woman I am. I cook with love, I clean with love. I fight with love.

There is nothing inside of me but love whether it be conventional love or a love to hate. I have love inside of me that was refused by others. It has no other way out than being smeared on everything I touch.

I do all things with passion. Why do something half assed when I have the ability to give my soul to it.

When I leave, a piece of me stays behind. I find joy in knowing that I will not be forgotten.

And when I leave this world, I will leave behind a legacy of my love.