By Deborah Reed

deborah@wktv.org

Grand Rapids resident and poet Becci Schumaker has always been drawn to words and the power within them – so she made words her refuge during difficult times.

Though she classifies herself as an introvert and a loner, Schumaker’s soft voice and kind countenance are the hallmark of a woman who navigated hardships and reached her dreams despite opposition.

Writing poetry was one of those dreams.

Falling in love with words

“I love working with words,” said Schumaker. “I think words are fascinating. Words can be serene but they can be powerful, they can be enigmatic. It just opens up a whole new world.”

Writing poetry has been part of Schumaker’s world since she was 12 years old.

Coming from an emotionally and physically abusive family background, Schumaker immersed herself in reading and writing to escape the real world.

“It was a means of escape for me,” Schumaker said as she gently touched a binder containing several pages of her written works. “That was my safe place.”

Overcoming struggles and hardship

Words did not come easily for Schumaker at first.

In first grade, a teacher noticed Schumaker struggled with reading and provided extra instruction. By third grade Schumaker was reading college-level works.

“I haven’t stopped reading since,” said Schumaker with a smile.

Young Schumacher was immediately drawn to the genre of poetry, the words and prose a direct contrast to her hostile home environment.

Schumaker said she is grateful for the stable presence of an aunt and uncle with whom she spent summers while growing up.

“If it wasn’t for me having that Christian background through them, and getting my morals and values of what a good person is supposed to be, I don’t know if I would have even done this,” said Schumaker, touching the stack of poetry books in front of her.

Schumaker later took an evening American Literature class, writing a short story that her teacher urged her to publish.

However, Schumaker had to put her writing on hold as she focused on raising her four children, working two jobs for several years to support her family.

Reigniting the flame

Meeting her husband Don reignited Schumaker’s creative spirit, and she once again picked up her pen and put it to paper.

“I’ve actually woken my husband up in the middle of the night, jumping out of bed to grab pencil and paper and start writing,” said Schumaker with a grin.

“I will get a thought and will have to write,” Schumaker continued. “Nine times out of ten, the result is a poem.”

When she noticed an ad about submitting original poems to a poetry contest, Schumaker thought she would give it a try. “I Love You Lord” became Schumaker’s first published work of poetry, printed in 1997 under the name Becci Campbell. The poem was included in a Poetry Guild compilation titled By the Light of the Moon.

Everything around Schumaker inspires her writing.

At church, the pastor’s words sparked Schumaker’s imagination and she completed a poem within minutes titled “The Trinity,” now published in Forever Spoken.

Challenged by her husband to write a poem about something as ordinary as a card game, Schumaker immediately put pen to paper. The subsequent poem, “Cards,” can be found in the poetry book Memories of Tomorrow.

With several published works under her belt – the most recent being Schumaker’s poem titled “Carpet of White” in 2022 – the local poet continues to write.

Submission of her poem “The Lonely Man” is next for Schumaker’s publication goals. The poem stems from personal experience of her husband’s struggle with rehab and the beginnings of dementia.

A legacy of words

When asked how many poems she has written over her lifetime, Schumaker responded, “Oh gosh, probably hundreds and hundreds.”

When asked if she ever threw one of her written works away, Schumaker quickly replied, “I keep them all. Even if I don’t think it’s good, I’ll fold it up and tuck it away somewhere. Maybe someday I’ll go back to it, and reread it, and write it a different way.”

Though she loves poems, Schumaker said her main reading genre is science fiction, and her favorite movies are “ones that put you on the edge of your seat.”

Schumaker freely acknowledges the incongruity between the lighter, lyrical prose of her written works and the darker genres of her favorite movies.

“Even though I like those kinds of movies, [poetry] is my stress relief, my go-to outlet that brings me into the light,” said Schumaker, looking at the binder of poetry. “This is my sanity.”

A powerful responsibility

The power that words contain is always at the forefront of Schumaker’s mind, especially words wielded with harmful intent.

“People don’t realize words really do hurt,” said Schumaker, admitting that, at 71 years old, she still struggles with hurtful things spoken to her as a child. “The scars are there forever.”

“I have had to survive on my own since I was sixteen,” Schumaker continued. “You learn about life. That’s what a lot of this writing is.”

The poet regularly encourages people to carry a notebook and write down any idea that comes to them.

“You never know what’s going to come of it,” said Schumaker, gesturing toward her own poems laid out before her.

Staying active and looking ahead

Along with writing, Schumaker stays active by participating in mission trips with her church and volunteering for WKTV Community Media.

“I’ve got to be doing something, and this gave me an outlet,” said Schumaker about WKTV, adding that she fell in love with the camera work at the station.

When asked what is next for the active poet, Schumaker shrugged. “From here, we’ll see what life brings,” she said with a smile.