Plutarch said, “Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks.” Nicole Nikdel speaks volumes through themes of grief and growth, time and transition, with a visual aspect that paints the finishing touches onto her words. Her Instagram handle, @extroverted_introspection, is an ode to the beautiful contradiction that is Nicole Nikdel. She’s as highly extroverted as they come, but said, “I do find myself trying to stay grounded, and very insightful, thoughtful an

My editor sat in a bar across from a new friend a year ago. When she asked about his hobbies, he rattled off a few and added, “...and I write poetry.” That comment sparked a ‘secret poet’ monthly feature in the magazine. Each month since, this private poet has submitted work to be published in the magazine. We’ve heard guesses that this poet was someone on our staff, a local business owner, or a community leader. Haven Magazine’s secret poet, who goes by The Lost Words of a T