First Words from Sidewalk Chalk and Ink

By Yodi Vaden 

Welcome.

If you’re a beginning poet, a teaching artist, a quiet writer waiting to be heard, or someone trying to find rhythm again—this space is for you.

This blog was born from years of stories, rhythms, brushes, and silence. I’ve walked many roads—as a poet, a painter, a cultural keeper—and now, I’m walking the next verse.

Sidewalk Chalk and Ink is where I bring it all together: poetry, art, and the stories in between.

This space is for those who feel something stir in the bones when they hear a line of poetry—or notice the way sunlight touches peeling paint.

For those who know that stories don’t always arrive polished… sometimes they come scrawled in sidewalk chalk, or whispered between drumbeats.

I believe poetry lives in the cracks of our stories, the rhythm of memory, and the heartbeat of our communities.

This blog is part gallery, part journal, part workshop.

I’ll be sharing poems—some from my Urban Lullabies series, others sparked by spirit, season, or silence. You'll also find my artwork, poetry prompts, reflections on writing and performance, and tools for creative expression.

I write for those who:

– Speak through rhythm before grammar.

– Know art is healing, not just decoration.

– Understand that poetry isn’t something you “get right”—it’s something you live.

– Feel called to pass something meaningful on.

You’ll find poetic instruction here, yes—but more than that, you’ll find permission.

To write. To feel. To remember.

To revise. To rise.

Pull up a chair. Let’s walk the line between chalk and ink—together.

Until next time,

Yodi