Words Hold Power: Hannah Wickland on Reclaiming Her Voice, Songwriting, and The Poetry Vessel
Tap image to watch our episode on The Poetry Vessel YouTube Channel.
Poets and songwriters share a simple understanding: words hold power.
And language is a form of spell-casting. Good poems often compress immense emotional insight into language small enough to fit in a listener’s chest. The same goes for song lyrics.
In this episode of The Poetry Vessel, I had the privilege of sitting down with blues and rock ‘n’ roll powerhouse Hannah Wickland—founder of the arts magazine Strawberry Moon Tribune—to explore the deep intersections between poetry, musicality, and reclaiming one's voice after an industry "tower moment" which turned her world on its head.
During the episode, we are treated to an acoustic rendition of Hannah’s song "The Pier." Written on a South Carolina beach while looking out at the water, this track acts as a declaration for never again to ignore the body's intuition.
From Early Prodigy to an Industry "Tower Moment"
Hannah started playing piano at age 3, guitar at 8, and had played well over 1,000 live shows before she was old enough to vote. Yet, after multiple decades navigating the upper corridors of the music industry alongside major industry figures, she confronted a darker reality.
"I found myself last year uncovering full-blown collusion, conspiracy, and censorship... At 28 years old, I had my full-on tower moment."
In the span of ten days, Hannah walked away from her entire management team and a long-term relationship. What could have been an ending became a profound artistic transformation—a total clearing of the slate that allowed music to pour out of her with raw urgency once again.
The Heart of War on Women, Calling All Good Men
This rupture became the foundation for her 13-track album, War on Women: Calling All Good Men. During our conversation, Hannah and I discuss the intentional architecture of the record:
The Title Track, "War on Women": A song eight years in the making, sparked by national headlines and brought to completion following a conversation with rock legend Joan Jett.
Songwriting as Compacted Energy: Why stripping away filler words creates a denser, more urgent emotional impact—a lesson Hannah took from Tom Petty’s minimalist genius.
Bookending the Record: Why Hanned opened her album with the stark social commentary of "War on Women" and closing with the hopeful, inviting embrace of "Calling All Good Men.”
Hannah comments: "Ultimately, I love men... “Calling All Good Men” was my recognition of the ones who have done the work, encouraging them to help deconstruct the systems we've been taught and see things from the feminine point of view."
Reframing the Creative Mind: Key Takeaways
1. Writer’s Rest Over "Writer’s Block"
We often fall into the trap of treating creative stillness as a failure. When we frame silence as a "block," we build a wall in our minds. Reframing creative pauses as Writer’s Rest or periods of subconscious research honors the cycles of the creative spirit.
2. Stream-of-Consciousness as Flow State
Hannah explores why she opens her live sets with unscripted guitar jams to bypass expectation and drop directly into flow. In writing and poetry, streaming without self-censorship bypasses the analytical editor and unlocks the most honest parts of our work.
3. The Power of Community & Shared Spaces
Through her magazine, Strawberry Moon Tribune, Hannah is creating an interactive home for poetry, reader submissions, art, and more. Watch the Full Episode & Get Involved
Watch & Listen: Stream the complete episode and live performance on The Poetry Vessel YouTube Channel.
Submit Your Art: Share your poetry, photos, and prose with the Strawberry Moon Tribune.
Support Hannah’s Music: Pre-order physical editions of War on Women, Calling All Good Men directly at hannahwicklund.com.
