Guest post by Earnestine L. Smith (Kee-Kee Da Poet), Host of Da’Poetic Plug Open Mic
Hello, beloved readers. I’m Earnestine L. Smith, the heart behind Da’Poetic Plug and the voice that channels prophetic floetry on stages from Chicago to Clubhouse. Today, I open the pages of my soul to share the raw, redemptive story of my poetry trilogy: Bound by Love, Freed by Love, and I AM LOVE.
This isn’t just a series of books—it’s my testimony etched in verse, a roadmap from chains to freedom, penned through tears, triumphs, and God’s unrelenting grace. Through spoken word and written lines, poetry became my lifeline to self-discovery and divine healing. Join me as I relive the journey that ignited Da’Poetic Plug and continues to spark revival in countless lives.
Bound by Love: Embracing the Chains of Vulnerability
The trilogy began in the quiet ache of my early years, when love felt like a beautiful bondage. Bound by Love, the first installment released around 2022, poured from a high school poet’s heart—me, scribbling verses while my brother Kevin hand-illustrated them with love. Life’s storms hit hard: heartbreak, betrayal, identity struggles in a world that didn’t see my worth. I was bound—not just by human love’s limitations, but by self-doubt and unspoken pain.
In this collection, poems like whispers of confession explore love’s double edge: the intoxicating pull that holds us captive and the divine thread that refuses to snap. One reader shared, “Your words mirrored my silent cries—bound yet hopeful.” The book hit Amazon, but its true launch was spoken word stages, where I’d recite under spotlights, feeling God unravel the first knots. This vulnerability birthed Da’Poetic Plug in 2023—a safe space for others bound by their stories to voice them freely. Sales spiked during pre-orders at $25 autographed copies, but the real currency was connection.
As pastor and host of “The Word of the Day Show,” I wove scripture into verses, turning personal bondage into prophetic testimony. Bound by Love taught me: healing starts when we name the chains.
Freed by Love: Breaking Free Through Spoken Word
By 2023, God amplified the whisper into a roar. Freed by Love, the second book, chronicles the breakthrough—the moment love’s bonds transform from prison to wings. Inspired by live Da’Poetic Plug Clubhouse mics, where artists testified mid-performance, I documented my liberation: from relational toxicity to self-forgiveness, shadowed by faith’s unshakable anchor.
Poems pulse with energy here—freestyle-like rhythms capturing late-night prayers and dawn realizations. “FREED BY LOVE IS FINALLY HERE!!!” I posted on YouTube, celebrating its arrival as readers journeyed with me from despair to dance. One Chicago Experience attendee approached post-show: “Your poem freed me from 10 years of regret.” Spoken word became therapy; reciting at open mics, I felt chains shatter collectively. Da’Poetic Plug’s 4th Friday sessions mirrored this—guests spotlighted, sharing breakthroughs that echoed my pages.
This phase deepened my purpose. Poetry wasn’t an escape; it was an excavation. God used verses to free not just me, but the Plug family, proving spoken word as revival’s spark. The book’s raw honesty—love’s freedom demands surrender—resonated, with fans calling it “church in poetry form.”
I AM LOVE: The Final Transformation and Prophetic Purpose
The trilogy crescendos in I AM LOVE (2025/2026), the ultimate revelation: I am not just bound or freed—I embody Love Himself. This third collection, available on Amazon with Christmas sales buzz, marks a total transformation. From bound victim to freed warrior to divine vessel, each poem radiates purpose, healing, and overflow.
Inspiration struck during Da’Poetic Plug’s peak—testimonies from Chicago mega events and virtual rooms fueled lines like prophetic declarations. “When someone reads the first chapter and says, ‘Everybody needs this book,’ I know I’m walking in purpose,” I shared on Instagram. Readers traverse my path: heartbreak’s ashes birthing beauty, self-discovery in God’s mirror.
One fan mailed their copy: “Freed by Love got me halfway; I AM LOVE carried me home.”
Spoken word elevates it—reels and YouTube clips of recitals draw thousands, tying back to Plug’s ethos. This finale integrates Da’Poetic Plug fully: co-host spotlights inspire verses, events promote signed sets. Grace shines: God’s love didn’t just heal; it commissioned me to heal others.
Da’Poetic Plug: Where My Journey Fuels Collective Revival
No story is complete without Da’Poetic Plug—the living extension of my trilogy. Born from Bound by Love’s vulnerability, it hosts prophetic floetry where artists mirror my arc: bound voices freed on stage. Chicago Experiences (like July 2025) replay breakthroughs—testimonies of jobs, healings, callings, post-performance. Clubhouse mics every 4th Friday, plug listeners into grace, with my books as takeaways.
The Plug family—Greo, Lady Papyrus, Joy—embodies the trilogy: bound together, freed collectively, becoming Love. Relaunch in February 2026 promises hybrid events, a new site, and global reach. My journey? From private pain to public praise, poetry as God’s scalpel for souls.
Lessons from the Verses: Grace for Your Journey
Self-discovery demands honesty—name your “bound” places. Spoken word accelerates freedom; voice it to vanquish it. God’s grace transforms: you’re not defined by wounds but destined by Love. Grab the trilogy on Amazon; join Da’Poetic Plug this Friday. Let anointed words ignite your revival.
Your story awaits its freedom. Plug in.
Earnestine L. Smith is an author, poet, pastor, and Da’Poetic Plug host. Follow @dapoeticplug and @prophetic_inspirations.
