Poet and author MahLeah Cochran joins diVERSES for a powerful, deeply personal talk and reading from her collection, The Fire from Her Crown.Sharing her journey through bipolar depression, grief, and survival, MahLea reflects on what it truly looks like to choose life, seek help, and transform darkness into ink. Through an intimate reading of her centerpiece poem, "Walking On It," she explores the fragile balance between despair and grace—and why showing up for yourself often requires letting community step in.Welcome to Opus: Outside The Lines, a series of talks presented by diVERSES which gives poets and musicians a platform to not only share work, but the insights and lessons that come with the act of composition. Come learn craft and experience art, as well as the deeper emotional experiences that come from creation.Get the first 2 modules of our poetry business workbook, The Semester, for FREE: www.diversespoetry.com/instituteGet a free podcast/mp3/audio version: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vAdMbaunOPziRoovm0K5P?si=pGDmsZ_1T9qjWzTR7KQeYgTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction to MahLeah Cochran00:45 - "When Blue Turns Black, God Changes the Colors"02:25 - Poem: Walking On It05:00 - Living with Bipolar Depression & Redefining Hope06:25 - Reading from The Fire from Her Crown08:10 - Reaching Out: Community, Intervention & Medication010:05 - The Studio as a Battleground & the Creative Process11:00 - How Walking On It Evolved Through Grief13:30 - Turning Darkness into Ink & Finding Light15:55 - A Message of Encouragement: Asking for Help#poetry #Opus #diverses diVERSES was founded by poet Geoff Anderson in Columbus, Ohio to help writers achieve creative and financial independence