In December of last year, I had the chance to perform with an incredible group. The amazing poet OneSingleRose from Detroit assembled a cast of poets to write persona poems tackling difficult issues. What resulted was a moving theater piece that spanned the breadth of human difficulties... with nature, with state, with each other, with family, with ourselves.
A million thanks to One Single Rose for her faith and inspiration, to LaJuana Tylicee for working so diligently behind the scenes, and to the cast for being some of the finest poets/writers/actors I've met: Afi Montilus, Omari Barksdale, Claretha Peace Bell, Brittini Ward, Bayan Founas, Rink Flowers, Kareem Harrison, Honeycomb, and Osiris. It was pure joy to be in Detroit!
For today's prompt, write a persona poem. Try to write from a difficult point of view, something that will be a stretch into uncomfortable territory. Be as true to the person you are writing from as possible. To write my persona piece about being a female cop, I did a ride-along with local police. Do a little research to dig into the everyday of the persona you are writing from. What motivates them? How do they make choices? The good, the bad, the slightly off-kilter.
And whenever you get a chance, go to the theater! The small ones, with local shows, the far-away ones up in Michigan... check out how creative poetic live performance can be.
