In the Greater Olney Branch Library, Veronica Henson, who is in her mid-60s, sat near a wooden oak table reading Maya Angelou’s “Even the Stars Look Lonesome.”
Henson graduated, with an associate’s degree in computer science, from the Community College of Philadelphia in 1983. She worked at Insurance Data Processing for 14 years as a computer operator. In 1992, Insurance Data Processing shut down, leaving Henson without a job.
Henson soon found a passion for teaching. She taught children and adults music. “I love music. I am a music extremist. I love anything from jazz, blues to soul,” Henson said. She had about 30 students.
Not only Henson was a music teacher, she was also a chess teacher. Henson volunteered at the After School Activities Program (ASAP) in Center City to teach children how to play chess. She has been in several chess tournaments and won three trophies.
Joggling careers throughout her life, Henson finally found one that gives her perceptive and meaning, which is writing poetry.
“I write any kind of poetry. But I mostly write prose, hiku and free verse,” Henson said.
The snow storm in 2010 inspired Henson to become to a poet. She wrote her first poem called, “Snow Flakes.”
“The snow storm was so beautiful. I was stuck at home doing nothing and I just got in the mood to write. It was an inner creativity for art,” Henson said.
Poets like William Shakespeare, Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison are Henson’s favorites.
Henson converted one of her bedrooms to an art studio. “I have so much passion for poetry and art,” Henson said.
Currently, Henson is working on her chapbook. It consists of 25 to 30 poems. They are prose, hiku, sonnets and free verse poems. She is self- published. The title of her chapbook is to be announced. It is going to be released in the end of May. It will cost about $10.
Who knew a computer operator would have later become a poet?
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