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An ode to mothers’ nature by Theresa Lola

Watch trail-blazing poet Theresa Lola perform her heartfelt poem about motherhood and our connections with nature, as we catch up with her (and her mum!) to find out about her experiences of performing in Parliament Square, becoming the Young People’s Laureate for London, and using her work as a force for positive change. 

Words: Chekii Harling. Photography and videography: James and James 

Watch trail-blazing poet Theresa Lola perform her heartfelt poem about motherhood and our connections with nature, as we catch up with her (and her mum!) to find out about her experiences of performing in Parliament Square, becoming the Young People’s Laureate for London, and using her work as a force for positive change. 

Words: Chekii Harling. Photography and videography: James and James 

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Theresa Lola performing ‘An Ode to Mothers’ Nature’, a poem specially commissioned by Selfridges for Mother’s Day 
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For Mother’s Day at Selfridges, we commissioned the pioneering young writer Theresa Lola to craft a heartfelt poem titled ‘An Ode to Mothers’ Nature’, a moving passage dedicated to the nurturing relationship between a mother and child, which simultaneously draws upon the beauty of the natural world. “I wanted to represent the mother as a tree because trees are everywhere we go, they are so conspicuous,” says Theresa, whose poem follows a tender child navigating the wild. “Trees make the world a more beautiful place, just as mothers do, but we need to remember that they need time for themselves. At the end of the poem, I humanised the tree by drawing attention to its bark and the cracks within it. I hope that readers of the poem will see the beauty of nature and the role of the mother as a guide.”

Theresa Lola / Ashdown Forest, South Downs National Park
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Fittingly, when we catch up with Theresa over video call, she’s positioned next to her mother’s library. “My mother was part of the reason I started writing, she loved reading adventure novels and books about faith and would always encourage me to read,” says Theresa, as we journey back to her childhood days; a time when her bookshelves were lined with Jacqueline Wilson and random romantic novels that she stumbled upon. 

Theresa’s love for writing began in Nigeria, where she penned diary entries and songs for her classmates and even attended a poetry festival in Lagos – her first introduction to the medium. At the age of 13, Theresa and her family left Nigeria for south-east London where she lives with her mum, dad, brother, and sister. “My mum always saw her life abroad,” says Theresa, who now lives in close proximity to her aunties and grandma. She describes her mother, an optician with an interest in theatre and the arts, as a sensitive, pragmatic and caring role model. “I love how adventurous she is, always open to new things. We went indoor rock climbing even though she doesn’t like heights and she’s currently learning how to do her hair in a turban by watching videos on YouTube. My mum always looks out for other people but doesn’t forget to take time for herself which is amazing. Mums can sometimes be expected to be everything, but I love that she has found the balance.”

Theresa Lola in Ashdown Forest, South Downs National Park

Eager to form creative relationships when studying for her Accounting and Finance degree at the University of Hertfordshire, Theresa spent her downtime mingling with peers at the Evacreate Society, which organised music and poetry events. When she wasn’t hanging out in the music rooms and partying with her friends, Theresa was a key contributor to the university’s Festival of Ideas Reimagined event and participated in the Barbican’s Young Poets mentoring scheme.

After years of writing poetry on the side, Theresa took her love for the art one step further when a friend encouraged her to perform at an open mic night at Battersea Arts Centre. “Oh, my goodness, it was so nerve-wracking! When you’re sharing your words, even when it’s not about your life, you’re so vulnerable because you’re sharing an opinion with a bunch of strangers. Someone came up to me at the end of the show and said, ‘you have something really cute going’, I don’t know who that person was but that was amazing! From then onwards, I just kept going to open-mic nights,” says Theresa.



I admire rappers because they are nonchalant and very bold, there’s just something about the lyrics and tight rhymes of rap that bonds people. I’m attracted to all of that as a poet.

– Theresa Lola

From 2019-20 Theresa was Young People’s Laureate for London, a year-long role launched by writer development agency Spread the Word with the aim of helping London’s youth find confidence in their voice. During her time in the role, Theresa chose to specialise in promoting poetry’s connection to mental health, hosting residencies at Bethlem Museum of the Mind, the Wellcome Collection, the Free Word Centre, and St Paul’s Cathedral, all the while hosting online workshops on social media. “Through Instagram, I discovered this wonderful exchange. I love the fact that a person in Bromley could be touched by a poem written in Finland,” says Theresa, “I mean #poetry has millions of hits, and more and more young people are seeing themselves in poems.” During her tenure, Theresa launched a series of campaigns on social media including #SayYourPeace, which aimed to encourage people to write poems themed around what brings them peace, and #MyMentalHealthJourney, a campaign that advocated the writing of poetry as a therapeutic tool for wellness.

No stranger to high-profile events, Theresa performed at the unveiling of the statue of suffragist leader Dame Millicent Fawcett in Parliament Square, taking to the stage with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and the then Prime Minister Theresa May. “It was so surreal, particularly because my grandma was in the audience – I love that she got the celebrity entrance pass! I remember being backstage with Sadiq, he was pacing up and down practising what he was going to say. I was nervous, he was nervous – brilliant!” says Theresa of that moment.

Ashdown Forest, South Downs National Park

From 2019-20 Theresa was Young People’s Laureate for London, a year-long role launched by writer development agency Spread the Word with the aim of helping London’s youth find confidence in their voice. During her time in the role, Theresa chose to specialise in promoting poetry’s connection to mental health, hosting residencies at Bethlem Museum of the Mind, the Wellcome Collection, the Free Word Centre, and St Paul’s Cathedral, all the while hosting online workshops on social media. “Through Instagram, I discovered this wonderful exchange. I love the fact that a person in Bromley could be touched by a poem written in Finland,” says Theresa, “I mean #poetry has millions of hits and more and more young people are seeing themselves in poems.” During her tenure, Theresa launched a series of campaigns on social media including #SayYourPeace, which aimed to encourage people to write poems themed around what brings them peace, and #MyMentalHealthJourney, a campaign that advocated the writing of poetry as a therapeutic tool for wellness.

No stranger to high-profile events, Theresa performed at the unveiling of the statue of suffragist leader Millicent Fawcett in Parliament Square, taking to the stage with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and the then Prime Minister Theresa May. “It was so surreal, particularly because my grandma was in the audience – I love that she got the celebrity entrance pass! I remember being backstage with Sadiq, he was pacing up and down practising what he was going to say. I was nervous, he was nervous – brilliant!” says Theresa of that moment.



Poetry has the power to transform because it allows us to see. You can use it as a tool to learn about yourself and it can reimagine the future with joy.

– Theresa Lola
Theresa Lola in Ashdown Forest, South Downs National Park

In 2019, Theresa went back to her home country of Nigeria to launch a project with Save the Children, catalysed by their study which revealed that a shocking 6 in 10 women in north-east Nigeria are the victim of gender-based violence. Theresa’s workshops aimed to provide young women aged 14-17 with a space to process what they were experiencing. Now, Theresa is studying for a master’s degree in Creative Writing at the University of Oxford, a course that has encouraged her to think more deeply about her heritage and its significance within her work. Within many of her poems, Theresa constructs symbolic characters, many of whom are heavily linked to race – from Black Marilyn to the Black King Balthasar. “This master’s degree has made me much more conscious of the critical lens in which I’m writing and the people that came before me. It’s encouraged me to analyse what it means to be a British Nigerian writer,” she says.

Theresa published her first book in 2019 and is currently working on her second. Her debut, In Search of Equilibrium, looks at the process of grieving following the death of her grandfather from Alzheimer’s disease. That same year, Theresa featured in British Vogue’s September issue co-edited by Megan Markle, alongside Malika Booker – another pioneer of the spoken-word movement.

So, what’s next for the young wordsmith who’s already achieved so much by her mid-twenties? “I want to write a play, a film, and a non-fiction book infused by everything I have recently learnt. It’s about experimenting and having fun.”

To follow Theresa’s journey, head to @theresa_lola on Instagram.
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We passed the mic to Theresa’s mother Clare

 

What was behind your decision to name Theresa, Theresa?

It was given by her nan, we named her after a young Catholic woman Teresa of Ávila, who was a nun, and dedicated her life to serving humanity, especially women.

What do you admire about her?

She is very caring and sensitive to the needs of others, she is humble despite what she has achieved, and she is very understanding of other people’s circumstances.

How would you describe Theresa’s poetry?

What I like about her poetry is that it is intimate, emotional, and most are inspired by personal experiences.

What’s your favourite fun fact about Theresa?

We have film nights together and order popcorn and sweets.

How will you be celebrating Mother’s Day?

It’s always a surprise to see what she and her siblings organise every year!

THERESA LOLA’S BEGINNERS' GUIDE TO POETRY

4 fun ways to get your creative juices flowing


1. What can you see in your view? Write about it in other ways aside from its obvious visual image. Maybe imagine its sound, or its taste, or texture, and have fun with it. 

 

2. Use what you know. Write a poem using the form of something you’ve recently used. You can write a poem in the form of a text message, shopping receipt, group chat messages, meeting minutes.

 

3. Write about the things you are curious about. What were the children on the street laughing about? What do you think the man at the bus stop was listening to on his headphones? 

 

4. Use comparison to make your descriptions richer. What does your mother remind you of? Maybe a radio, or a blanket? You could write a poem explaining how your mother is similar to these objects. 

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