Artists Registry
Louisville KY United States
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Artist's Statement
Statement of Work
Creative writing has become the most effective way of expressing myself, accepting change, and experiencing grief. Although I was very young and far from the turmoil on September 11th, it is a day I can still see so clearly. After reading about it in a textbook my Freshman year of high school, I realized that such an impactful day has officially become a piece of history—even though for me, it feels so recent. I was compelled to write about my own experiences of that day as a child as well as the importance of keeping the truth of that day at the surface.
My poem, “In Dark Colors” retraces my memories of the day—beginning in the classroom and ending at home. The poem expresses that the events of 9/11 were so significant and tragic that even a child living far from the actual attack was still affected by it. “In Dark Colors” also touches on the historical significance of the event, emphasizing that the reality of 9/11 cannot be understood by those who did not experience the day.
My goal for this poem is to express my own memory of the day. I also hope that this poem allows those who did not experience 9/11 to understand the true fear and confusion that it brought—something that cannot be fully expressed in a textbook.
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Hannah James is a Louisville native and as a lover of words, self-expression, and whimsicality, she is drawn to reading and studying literature. Her love for the art only grew as she began creating and writing her own pieces. While earning her bachelor’s degree in English as a dual-concentrated student, she also become a published writer. She has work published through the Indiana University Southeast creative writing program as well as two self-published books.
Her short story, Remember Me Yesterday was published in the Spring of 2017 in the University’s creative writing journal, and her debut collections of poetry, Whiskey on Vinyl and Arrows on Monsters hit the shelves in the Spring of 2018.
Remember Me Yesterday tells the story of a man’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease and the toll it takes on his family. The short story won 1st place in the Indiana University Southeast 2018 Writing Competition in the fiction category.
Her collections of poetry, Whiskey on Vinyl and Arrows on Monsters are composed of multiple poems, but together express the journey of self-understanding and growth. Whiskey on Vinyl focuses on self-love in and out of relationships. Arrows on Monsters focuses on mental health, addiction, and recovery.
When Hannah James isn’t writing, you can find her in Kentucky with white mochas in hand, spending time with her Great Dane, and collecting records.