Marie-Paul in a denim jacket and black turtleneck Marie-Paul seated in a teal headwrap and flowing teal and orange gown Marie-Paul seated in a blue velvet chair in vibrant teal and orange attire

Live Your Effervescence

MARIE-PAUL

Award-Winning

Poet Performer Artist

Marie-Paul Duwai-Sowa, award-winning poet and artist, wearing a teal headwrap and gold jewelry Marie-Paul
Duwai-Sowa

About the Artist

Meet the Artist

Marie-Paul is an award-winning poet and artist from Hamilton, Ontario. Her work has been described as “truly powerful and meaningful.” She is also the founder of Effervescence, a creative company dedicated to inspiring individuals through poetry and art by creating opportunities for emerging creatives to be recognized and showcased.

As an aspiring human rights lawyer currently pursuing a dual degree in Law at the University of Sussex and Human Rights at Wilfrid Laurier University, she channels a passion for advocacy and self-expression into unique poetic and artistic experiences that inspire, uplift and empower. Her work invites people to reclaim their authenticity — to live their effervescence.

  • Award-winning Poet & Artist
  • Founder Entrepreneur
  • Human Rights Advocate
  • Canada / United Kingdom Sierra Leonean heritage

The Visual Poetry Experience

Effervescence:
The Visual Poetry Experience

‘Effervescence’ is an original poem by Marie-Paul, and her first award-winning poem. It served as the launch pad for her professional writing and performance career.

Watch the film and experience a cinematic visual reading of the award-winning original poem — shot by @stynoshots_filmz.

Still from the film Effervescence — Marie-Paul by the water Watch the film
“I want to restore my effervescence — although it never left. I believed it was taken, but I was the one that had let it drown.”
— Marie-Paul Duwai-Sowa, ‘Effervescence’

Poems

The Collection

Turn the pages of Marie-Paul’s collection — each poem in its own colour, written out to be read slowly and felt fully.

Effervescence

Award-winning · the poem that started it all

Effervescent
A captured essence
Stuck in a bottle
Sent off to sea
I question everyday
When will it be returned to me?

I was once effervescent
When youth dripped off me
Like gold so rare
It could have been sold
But dared not be

It was too precious
It kept me free
Then my freedom was taken,
Stripped away from me
I became a shell of what I used to be
I became still
I became recluse
I had become everything I never wanted to be,
But if only then I knew

Now I sit alone
Staring longingly outside my window
Reminiscing my youth
I am not living it
As I had always promised I would
I promised myself that nothing would ever change me
I would remain curious and carefree
Adventurous and wild
Tamed by no wind
Docile by no mile
But suddenly life changed
Responsibilities came
Ones I could not control
Others I bothered not to
Who else would take on the roles I was taught to?
The more I sit back and think
The more it hurts
I worked and worked and worked
Taking no time to discover myself
To find out who I was
To find out what I did best

I left no room for effervescence

So, when I sit alone and ask
When will it be returned to me,
I have realised, it is simply up to me

Do I want my life to be evergreen?
Do I want it to drip with gold?
With incomparable experiences new and old?

Yes, yes, yes

I want to feel free again
I want to feel alive
I want to be able to dance like the winged beings in the sky

I want to restore my effervescence
Although it never left
I believed it was taken,
but I was the one that had let it drown.

1 5

Live Experiences

Performances

First Reading · Film

The First Official Reading

Marie-Paul’s first official reading of her original poem “Effervescence” — where it all began.

Watch the reading
Talk · Live

Harnessing Your Child’s Special Talent

A live conversation on nurturing creativity and self-belief in young people.

Watch the talk

Workshops

Workshops & creative facilitation

Interactive sessions in poetry, performance, and self-expression — for schools, organisations, parents, and communities. Each one is designed to help people find their voice and reclaim their effervescence.

Finding Your Voice

A writing & spoken-word workshop guiding participants from blank page to a poem they can perform with confidence.

Enquire & book

Harnessing Your Child’s Special Talent

A session for parents and young people on nurturing creativity, self-belief, and the courage to share their gifts.

Enquire & book

The Effervescence Experience

A performance-led workshop on authenticity and self-love — poetry as a path back to yourself.

Enquire & book

Founded by Marie-Paul EST. 2024

Live Your Effervescence

A Poetry and Arts Movement

Effervescence A mindset. A lifestyle. A movement.

Effervescence is a creative company dedicated to inspiring through poetry and art by creating opportunities for emerging creatives to be recognized and showcased.

Our Pillars

01

Authenticity

The freedom to be exactly who you are — youth that drips like gold, dared not be sold, kept precious and free.

02

Self-Love

The quiet return to yourself. Restoring the effervescence that never left — you simply have to stop letting it drown.

03

Self-Expression

Poetry and visual art as living language — a way to feel free again, to feel alive, to dance like the winged beings in the sky.

House of Effervescence

Our Productions

Founded by Marie-Paul EST. 2024

Afrovescence is the visual arm of Effervescence — issue-by-issue collections that pair Marie-Paul’s original poetry with photography celebrating Blackness in full colour. Click a cover to open the spread.

Leave your reflections

Open a collection, then add your thoughts below. Sign in with GitHub and your comment is published with the rest of the conversation.

Three models wearing Effervescence tees outdoors — I am Effervescent, Never Lose Your Effervescence, and Adventurous and Wild

Shop Effervescence

Shop

Embrace Your Effervescence

Join Our Community

Wearable poetry from the House of Effervescence — each piece a line you can live in. Every design comes in black and white; hover or tap a tee to see both.

Black t-shirt with Never Lose Your Effervescence design White t-shirt with Never Lose Your Effervescence design

Never Lose Your Effervescence

A wearable reminder to keep what’s yours.

Black & White Coming soon
Black t-shirt with Adventurous and Wild design White t-shirt with Adventurous and Wild design

Adventurous & Wild

Tamed by no wind. Docile by no mile.

Black & White Coming soon
Black t-shirt with I am Effervescent design White t-shirt with I am Effervescent design

I am Effervescent

A simple declaration — worn loud.

Black & White Coming soon
Black t-shirt with Dance in the Sky design White t-shirt with Dance in the Sky design

Dance in the Sky

For the winged beings — and those becoming them.

Black & White Coming soon
Black t-shirt with Wild and Free design White t-shirt with Wild and Free design

Wild & Free

A piece of the poem, made to move with you.

Black & White Coming soon
White t-shirt with Dancing Birds design

Dancing Birds

Light, lyrical, and ready to rise.

White Coming soon
A young model wearing the Adventurous and Wild tee outdoors
Adventurous & Wild, worn.
Three models wearing Effervescence tees outdoors, in black and white
Wear your effervescence. Photography by Stynoshots.

Connect

Connect with
Marie-Paul

For readings, collaborations, commissions, workshops and speaking engagements — just reach out. Marie-Paul would love to hear from you.

Newsletter

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