Who Was Your Darkest Teacher?

One of my favorite podcasts is the Tim Ferriss’ Show, which explores routines, tips, and the journeys of those at the top of their field. He recently released a podcast with Cheryl Strayed, the author of Wild on How to be Creative like a Motherf*cker. It’s definitely worth checking out, lots of helpful material for writers!

In the interview, Strayed mentioned a few writing prompts that have helped her writing students, and I thought it would be amazing to tackle those prompts on the blog. I particularly love this one because you can take the prompt so many different ways. Enjoy!

Poetry night.

Too inflexible to sit Indian style

I moved to a wooden bench in the back

But I could see him

His skin like cocoa

Chocolate skin that withheld all blemishes

With his plaid button down and khakis

He came forward to the microphone.

Spotlight

Eyes open to him

As he spat

Words in a cadence that sent my ears to heaven

He smiled as he fluttered these words

Lips moving, tongue annunciating,

filling the room with his sweetness,

His swag

Entranced

I was 12, a kid of the 90s

I wanted to be like him, talk like him, write like him

I was proud to be his student, his only black student

I felt pureness and culture

And Black power

That to write like him, speak like him would

Liken me to my idols- Maya and Nikki

These teachers, these poets

They transform you

As he did me

Mr. Lilly

My Black poet and teacher, always.