For several months I worked at the Georgia 400 Toll Plaza as a cashier before it closed its doors and its lanes on Nov 22nd 2013. The following pieces were all inspired by the various experiences I had with the commuting public while I was there.
This episode is a continuation of the conversation The Board and I were having after a full day of events focused on the subject of lies. If you haven't listened to "Sometimes a lie" start there. In this episode we pick up where we left off and if you thought we couldn't possibly go any deeper, you'd be wrong. So sit back relax or multitask, cause you're in for a thought provoking emotion stirring episode.
One thing I’ve been driven by in my work over the years as a columnist, poet, and radio show host is my pursuit of the truth. But what happens when you discover that the questions whose answers you’re driven by aren’t so easily answered? What happens when those answers show up with questions of their own? Before I sat down to have this conversation with a few members of the board, I asked them to listen to "Telling Stories" a song by Tracy Chapman, along with a Ted Talk by Nigerian Writer Chimam...
This episode was inspired by a water cooler conversation I walked into between two coworkers Earley and Nate. Nate was sharing the issues he was navigating in his new relationship and Earley (Featured in this episode's Art) was basically telling him to save his time and energy and break up with her now! His advice was pretty much what he felt he should have done months earlier. Sensing that there was a lot more to Earley's story I jokingly suggested that we talk about it on the podcast and he se...
I vaguely remember taking the photo featured on this episode's art with my mother. As I look at it I'm reminded of why I'm fascinated with what the mind holds on to and what the spirit presses upon us to reflect. The question I ask myself is "What does it want to teach me?" "what does it want me to go back in time to get?". So I figured what do I have to lose? I think I found something precious in my mother's shoes.
In episode 6 "With Friends Like These" we explored a ton about what health and toxic friendships look like. In this episode we continue that conversation in our examination of when it's time to move on and let go. If you're looking at your circle of friends and you aren't sure, ask then with this episode What's Your Friendship Credit Score?
What do your friendships say about you? Are they a toxic cocktail or a health brew? Do they encourage growth or are they like weeds around your throat? Do they enlighten and enrich you, or do they drain and deplete you? I sat down for a conversation on this topic with my friends who I refer to as "The Board" to analyze the costs the benefits and the profound rewards.
"Was it enough?" was the question that incapsulated all of my fears and hopes about what the future could be for me. On this particular day It was one of many, that I wanted to ask all of humanity. I was looking for something certain in an abyss of uncertainty. So I sat in the corner on the bathroom floor where all of this came pouring out of me.
This is a poem born at the intersection of love and faith and what I'm realizing as well as who I'm becoming as I emerge from the shackles of hate. If you've ever been unlucky in love, out of alignment with your God given assignment then you can relate.
They say two is company and three a crowd, but what happens when busy bedrooms get a little too loud. After reading a controversial article about a couple claiming to make an open relationship work, The Board and I got together in this episode to unpack the article and share our own personal experiences of why open relationships can work and why they often don't.
Can we as a society get past the black penis or will we be forever mesmerized by it? And if we as a society can’t, will we as Black-men broaden our own ideas surrounding who we are and what we’re worth beyond whatever size we happen to be? Or will the size of our penises for better or worse be held high as part of our identity? Who better to have this conversation with other than a group of black men! I doubt you've ever heard a conversation about penises go this deep!
We are starting off season three with the sexiest episode we've ever done! So listen as we exploring a plethora of topics as well as answer some of your question about topics of compatibility, dealing with rejection, identifying a toxic connection and when being unclear about your bisexuality boarders on deception! This wouldn't be The Poet God podcast if we didn't weave in a little poetry, so we start things off exploring the experiences of two types of love that have become known to me.
Everything I’ve been through and everywhere I’ve been to, has informed what I now bring to, this space. There are some things you have to show up naked to face. Although this podcast has been a personal journey for me, I’ve been empowered and encouraged by the community that has shown up lovely. So as we go forward with season 3 now 12 platforms strong including (Apple podcast, google podcast, Spotify, Anchor, iHeart Radio and pandora) just to name a few; thousands of downloads later, I believe ...
Hopes die but they also live and while they are alive they have so much to give it would be foolish to deny the gifts they have to give because we can't see why some of those may be short-lived hopes die that is why we must let them be some gifts are for today others an eternity! This episode isn't as depressing as the title suggests, it's about some of those thing we have been unwilling to address. It's a poem about looking pass disappointment, and diving into the uncomfortable places to find o...
After reflecting on Leaving Neverland and the feelings it elicits for me, comes some pertinent questions. How did my molester, who for many years I saw as a monster become my friend? How do we deal with the duality of loving and hating the same thing? How do accept the reality without completely understanding the why, that sometimes the good guy and bad is the same guy? So you made it to part two, you’re something special look at you! And if that’s not you, don’t skip a thing, before you listen ...
I had the honor of being part of a historical Oprah television event with 200 men including myself who came forward to discuss our personal stories of sexual abuse as young boys on two award-winning episodes of Oprah's Farewell Season called " 200 Men Molested Come Forward " This Poem (200 Heroes) was inspired by that liberating experience.
After watching HBO's Leaving Neverland and the Oprah interview that follows it, I realized that the lens through which I see it would be informed by why I began watching the Oprah show 28 years ago. I couldn't talk about one story without telling the other. So here's how it all began, this is how 4pm changed everything! After this episode check out " 200 Heroes ", the poem inspired by the landmark Oprah show event where 200 men molested came forwards to break the silence!...
In this special behind the scenes episode of the podcast you get to be an ear on the wall in our meeting with our new producer as we talk through the thinking of some of the latest episodes, and the making of newest edition of the podcast called Dear Oprah! We also talk about the challenges in running The Oprah Viewers Club Facebook group and why I decided to integrate content created for the group into the podcast.
The makings of this episode began from a conversation with my friend Calvin who is also the new producer of the podcast. I was sharing with him some scenes from a movie called "The Hours" that helped me get through some rough times in my life. We had a great conversation that you will enjoy whether you have seen the movie or not, and like every episode of this podcast poetry lives in its DNA.
In 2011 when Oprah launched OWN I created a Facebook group called "OWN: The Oprah Viewers Club" because I wanted a space for us as viewers to unpack the content and explore the ways in which it informs, inspires and challenges us. Recently I started a podcast called The Poet God which for me was about answering the call to live a more fulfilling and authentic life. Now I’m happy to announce that beginning with this episode I’m taking all of that one step further with a new edition of the podcast...
This episode was inspired by the bullies that came into my lair, not knowing I was a bully slayer. Some came as sheep, but were wolves that couldn't quite hide their feet. Others were like weeds that stood among the wheat, but as I grew I learned the language that they speak. Some posed as friends but all they did was sow seeds of discord and fear. The bullies reign will end because the bully slayer is here. @ThePoetGod IG: ThePoetGod...
Everyone has a limit, even the timidest of us and if you're like me you can't stand to see someone bullied or berated. This in part is why I'm so happy about Inspired, a new series we're starting this season about the poems and the stories that inspired them. "Sleeping Dogs No Longer Lie" has the honor of being the first to officially kick things off! I've always been fascinated by the lives we live and the art that it inspires and I hope that you are too. I won't spoil it for you but lets just ...
New equipment, new topics, and new guests are in store! Oh yeah, we have so much more to explore! If you have stuck with me this far first of all thank you for helping me get this podcast off to a great start. Season one exceeded my expectations by far and I hope to reach thousands more of you as we continue to shoot for the stars. @ThePoetGod IG:ThePoetGod
Season Finale: This is the story about how I got here with you. After being sidelined by a storm of a different kind, I went from a 3.8 GPA to just trying to hold on to a piece of mind. After all that the one thing I know to be true is that you never know what life's storms may lead you to. The success of this podcast has by far exceeded my expectations and I'm so grateful that so many of you have stuck with me to this episode of the season finale. I'm so excited about what season two will bring...
In part one of my interview with Mr. Carter he told a chilling story of an attempted rape by a clergyman, and if you thought he was done when you listen to part two you'll realize that he was just getting started.
A year ago in the heat of the #metoo movement when story after story was breaking from women who were victimized by powerful men, I was inspired to write a poem called Men Too, because I knew that although it may not be as common, men and boys are victimized in similar ways by male and female predators alike but those stories are not as commonly told. So naturally, when the opportunity came for me to host and produce this podcast, I knew that telling those stories would be one of my main priorit...
"I never believed you when you said you loved me because I never gave you all of me to love." It's unfortunate how many people in our lives this quote from one of my poems applies. The world we think we know and the people with whom we grow aren't always what we think. Often it's not about what truths you weren't told, but why you weren't trusted with the secrets of their soul. In this episode, Denzel and I are having a conversation about what it means to be unapologetically human in a judgmenta...
As we continue to explore the topic of toxic masculinity, Aman and I take a deeper look into how parents scar their sons unintentionally with their ideas of what equates to masculine or feminine behavior. And how the underlying message informs who they become as men who fear being seen as gay if they attempt to forge meaningful relationships with other men.
One of the things I envisioned in creating this podcast was to create a space where I could have conversations with men from different walks of life about subjects that maybe be sensitive or difficult to talk about at times. I know it is true that men share some of the same challenges women do which is why I’m calling this series "Men Too". To kick off this series I’m joined by Aman, a member of the board who joins me for a rather interesting conversation about toxic masculinity and how it affec...
The words you are about to hear came pouring out one afternoon on the drive home. I was thinking about a few conversations I had with a couple friends about some difficult choices, and what experiencing depression feels like. Sometimes you don't always have answers to questions like "What's wrong?". Sometimes you can't bear to hear another piece of advice meant to minimize and dismiss you. So if you struggle with depression as I do, I send these words with many hugs and a kiss too....
