Rosie Elizabeth, the creative force behind ‘Hey Heart Poetry,’ events is transforming Mallorca’s cultural landscape with her heartfelt approach to the spoken word. After a rural upbringing in Dorset, she embarked on her artistic journey in Mallorca, where she has drawn inspiration from the island’s natural beauty and diverse community. In this interview with ‘Humans of Mallorca,’ Rosie shares her story of creativity, and her vision for the future of poetry in Mallorca.
Where were you born and where did you study?
Dorchester, UK. I studied at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. Their Creative Writing Department is second to none.
What were your childhood aspirations?
Anything with words, really, but I think it was between a writer and an actress.
Tell us about your parents.
My parents are farmers, so they gave me so much freedom growing up. A typical weekend would be making forest dens, following rivers, and playing on the quad bike. My dad gets up every day at 5 a.m. in the wind, rain, hail, you name it, so he’s instilled a great sense of “work hard, play hard.” I’m grateful for that.
Where do you live now, and why do you like this place?
I travel to Barcelona for work, but my home is in Palma. I spent most of my 20s here; it’s where I grew up, really. Mallorca has felt like a wise, old olive tree, supporting my creative growth all the way through. I’ve been blessed by the people I’ve met, and I’m in constant gratitude for all the doors that seem to keep opening.
How did you come to be a poet?
I’m not sure anyone chooses to be a poet; it doesn’t feel like something you have a choice over. Even when I didn’t think I was writing poetry, I still was. The words come to me like flashes (quite often at night), and I can’t help but do it. It’s a release; the energy calls, and I do my best to honor it.
What do you find most rewarding about poetry?
Observing how poetry can touch all of us, regardless of language, culture, or upbringing. I’ve witnessed poets in Mallorca share their words, many without paper or phones, and really command a room. You can’t hear a single squeak. That’s magic to me.
What is your daily routine like?
Coffee first, plants second, writing, playing music, or drawing third. I try to swim most days; the sea is where I ground myself. It’s one of the few places where I feel like I can actually breathe. Of course, a flask of hot tea is essential.
Tell us about your event, ‘Hey Heart Poetry.’
‘Hey Heart’ is Mallorca’s first heart-led, trilingual spoken word evening. I started it in July 2024, and from day dot, it had legs. There’s so much art here, honestly enough to make your pupils pop out, but where was the poetry? And more importantly, where were the spoken word poets? I had two choices: 1) Leave Mallorca and go on some kind of poetry hunt or 2) Stay, create the thing, and hope that the poets would come forward and say “hey.”
What challenges did you face?
Definitely the technical side of things. Microphones, speakers, and mixers are all new to me. Timing too. Each poet has their time on stage, and it can be tricky to strike the balance between honoring their words while keeping the pace. Also, as a host, you really have to think about the audience and what ties the whole evening together.
Have you ever faced times when you didn’t know how to keep going?
2024 was a challenging year, honestly. It felt like a huge clearing, a proper “let’s really look at your inner world” kind of year. There was a mini implosion, and I had some heartbreak from 15 years ago come back into my life in the craziest, weirdest way. I needed to close several cycles, break beliefs, and heal. I see that now.
How did you overcome this?
I fell in love like we all do. It was all of it, the falling and flying, truth and untruth, beginning and ending. And a fab therapist. Friends who would dance with me, talk about the same thing for hours, and share their inner worlds too. A supportive family. Brownies. Music. Writing poetry.
What lessons did you learn?
That great sadness is just a fine line away from ecstatic joy. The deeper you go, the more you wake up and realize that all emotion is there to be felt. Not feeling it comes at too high a cost—the body really does keep score.
What are you most proud of?
Finishing my first collection of poetry, Where is home, if not in someone else? Spanning Barcelona, the Balearics, and Britain, the book tells the story of falling in love abroad and making sense of yourself in contrast. It’s a book obsessed with binaries, really, a young woman trying to navigate her sense of self, plagued by the idea that another culture might hold the key.
What are your plans for 2025?
Keep doing ‘Hey Heart’ in different places in Mallorca, as well as in Barcelona. I plan to host more evenings for LGBTQ+ poets too, particularly for gay and bisexual women on the island. On 30th Jan, I will collaborate with C’an Cuir in Palma to host the first Hey Heart Poetry x LGBTQ+ evening. I’ll also start a project called ‘Hey Heart Talks,’ little online chats with poets/artists about what the heart means as a language. My idea is to turn it into a podcast.
What is your ultimate goal?
To host a poetry festival in Mallorca. I’d love that.
How do you see Mallorca in 2030?
Last year, I witnessed a huge protest in Palma in response to mass tourism and rising rent prices. I was so shook by it, I went home and wrote two poems: Culturally Split, My Heart Too and Puto Guiri, which both ended up in the book. In 2030, I’d love to see more creative ways in which local culture and language are honored alongside the visitor and expat communities that genuinely care. For me, ‘Hey Heart’ is doing a similar thing, bringing poets in English, Spanish, and Catalan together in the most organic way possible: through the language of the heart.
Text by Anastasia Barysheva
