Jasmine Rosario, an award winning poet who graces the stage as JRose, illuminates diverse poetic landscapes and stages on the East Coast, and we are very proud to have her as a guest speaker at our R11 Desire Summit on Intimacy & Relationships. Hailing from the borough of Queens, NY, she not only weaves tapestries with words and mesmerizes with her spoken word performances, but also wears many crowns as the creator and visionary of Garden Events and the mastermind Executive Producer of The JRose Experience Talk Show.
JRose stands is the winner of various poetry slams including, the 2023 BRIC Brooklyn Grand Slam Finals, Nuyorican Poets Cafe Slam, Rockland Poets Slam, and the Poetic Affair Slam. A testament to her lyrical talent, she is the charismatic host of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe Monday Night Slam at the prestigious Bowery Poetry Club.
JRose is a cast member of the Poetry Brothel and a revered Poetry Society of New York Program Committee member. Her artistic collaborations with industry giants such as Samsung, Boost Mobile, Dish Network, NYPD, Urban Stages, Poets & Writers Inc., and The New York Liberty reflect her ability to merge the realms of poetry and corporate allure seamlessly.
Beyond the spotlight, JRose extends her poetic grace as a freelance Teaching Artist and Mentor, sharing the magic of Spoken Words with eager minds. She has taught people of all ages in various US cities, including weekly programs in Rikers Island, where she works with incarcerated youths. Her visionary spirit radiates as she fearlessly claims her space and, in doing so, creates sanctuaries for others to express themselves authentically. A beacon of inspiration cutting through societal norms, JRose invites people from all walks of life to embrace their voices and narratives.
We are pleased to announce that J Rose will be speaking at R11 Desire Summit on Intimacy & Relationships, which will take place on April 13th & 14th in Jersey City, NJ. We were lucky enough to catch up with her before the event to discuss her work and her approach to writing..
How did you get into erotic poetry?
When I started exploring social media with my poetry, I connected with poets that wrote sensual/erotic poetry. I had no idea there was a whole genre around erotic poetry. I’ve read “sex books” in the past like Zane, but never knew it could be written as poetry as well. So I started dabbling in it and quickly realized I really liked expressing myself with this style of writing.
What is your process like, what inspires you to write?
I don’t write as often as I’d like. It sort of hits me randomly and then I can’t stop for a few days. Then I stop for weeks sometimes. It takes me about 2-3 months to finish a performance piece. Ever since I stepped foot on the stage, my writing became for the stage. This is why it takes time to finish writing a piece. Life inspires me. Everything I go through as a soul having a human experience.
How do you think erotic writing empowers women?
Erotic poetry is empowering for women because we get to own our sexuality on our terms. As women, society sexualizes us before we even understand what sexuality is. And when we embrace it, society shuns us until society wants to exploit it for their own gain. As an erotic writer, I get to express my sexuality in my own creative way, when I want to and where I want to. Nobody can tell me how to write what I want to write.
Can you talk about how you bring performance into your work and how that adds to the writing?
Performance plays a big part in my work. I am a performance Poet aka Spoken Word Artist. Bringing a theatrical element to my writing makes it easier for others to connect with it. They can hear every word how I wrote it. Knowing that an audience will be listening to my poems, makes me more aware of the verbiage, cadence and context I write in.
What advice would you give to others looking to pursue erotica writing?
As far as the writing aspect, try to be as creative as possible. You can use the typical sexual language to express yourself but always consider a good mix of metaphors and symbolism. Everything doesn’t have to sound like a play by play of a porno. Push your pen and imagination. Go for it! Be free and have fun!
Be sure to tune in and follow JRose and Residence 11 on social media sites to catch all the latest updates and programs offered. Tickets on sale now! Enjoy live performances, deep dive talks with experts in various fields of intimacy, give aways and much more at our R11 Desire Summit on Intimacy & Relationships .