That’s the good thing about being in school as a creative writer. I’m forced to write a certain amount. I have to write 8 poems this semester, something I’m pretty excited about. I really need to get my ass into gear though. It’s bad that I need to be forced write.

I feel so much better when I write. It calms me. I helps me organize my jumbled thoughts. It helps me understand my emotions. It both takes me away from reality and helps me understand it at the same time. This is the beauty of literature; no matter whether you’re reading it or writing it, its adding to your wellbeing.

She read from her newest book, Citizen: An American Lyric. Using poetry, she speaks of encounters with racism, of both aggression and what she calls “micro-agression.” Her pieces, which can be more accurately described as “prose-poetry,” tells stories of both racial injustice and normal occurrences that are fueled by racism. One of her poems tells the story of a black man on a metro, and how a woman chose to stand instead of sitting in the empty chair next to him. This is something that, if you are not a member of the black community, you would not notice, but these sorts of things probably stand out to them more than outright racist aggression. I don’t want to say much more, because I encourage everybody to read her work. It’s truly beautiful and powerful stuff.

It was a fairly small audience, but I didn’t complain. It made it easier to get her autograph. I fangirled hardcore when I met her. She complimented my nail polish, and I told her she was amazing. Overall, it was just a fabulous experience.

If you want to know more about Claudia Rankine or read any of her works, her website is here.