Meet Charles Patton (Red Lion Poetry) | Spoken Word Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Charles Patton (Red Lion Poetry) and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charles, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
Originally I’m from the Midtown area of Houston also known as 3rd Ward… My upbringing has a lot to do with the person I am, as I’m sure it does for most people… I didn’t grow up in a wealthy home but my parents found away to make things work… I learned how to be loving from them, and how to treat people well… Later on in life my mother passed away and for a a few years I stayed with my aunt and uncle, and they taught me the value hard work and striving for excellence in everything I did… In spoken word I strive for excellence and I attempt to articulate love and hope in a way that can be received well… But that’s it in a nutshell…

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art form is called Spoken Word… Spoken Word is performs poetry, and it can be presented is a multitude of different ways… In the Spoken Word community there aren’t many things that set poets apart, aside from presentation and writing style, but even that is difficult to be original in… However, I do feel like the one quality that makes me unique, is my ability to write diverse content… You could put me in a classroom, a bar, a club, a church, a cafe or a colosseum and I can thrive in any of them… I’m not limited to one subject matter and I strive to be diverse… I got to this point because of God, relationships with peers and hard work… It has not been an easy process at all… I’ve had failures, heartbreaks, short comings, set backs, and a million other things that’ve tried to break me… What helps me overcome, is remembering why I started in the first place… The lessons I’ve learned from all the walls I’ve faced is that, none of the obstacles were bigger than God, and if I stay behind Him I’ll always come out on top… I everyone who hears my story to know that it’s ok to dream so big that it scares you, and that it’s ok to pursue the things that make your soul happy… And lastly, that their lives are important and necessary…

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are so many great places to visit in Houston… Because I’m an artist I love spots that facilitate visual and performing arts… Here are a few of my favorites: . . . Cafeza Darwin’s Pub Alley Kats Seven25 Bar The Houston Improv Avant Garden Bibo’s Bistro Ester’s

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people (Literally hundreds) I can’t even list out everyone lol…Because honestly anyone who’s ever shared one of my videos, encouraged me, corrected me when needed, or has just been a shoulder for me to cry on has contributed tremendously… But here are a few people and organizations that have really allowed me to grow… . . Individuals: -Kayla Tension -Ernest L. Beason -Choice the Poet -David Maldonado -Daron Garrett -Warren Sylvester . . Organizations: -Writers Block Live -Pan Dulce HTX -Breathe Poetry -Gifts Of Direction -Tiny June & Friends -The Elevation Plug -Inspire Church -We Go Live

Instagram: @redlionpoetry

Linkedin: Charles Ray Patton II (Red Lion Poetry)

Twitter: @redlionpoetry

Facebook: Red Lion Poetry

Youtube: Red Lion Poetry