So since my most recent blog post about narrative poetry, I thought about the different kinds of narratives that we each day. Now I know that many of us read and indulge stories all around us, but I want to call attention to some recent stories that have been percolating our nation’s media. There’s so much going on around us. We’re all sensitive to it. It’s affecting us in ways we can’t even identify right now.

And since we can’t outright pinpoint how this information will challenge our being, I suggest that we throw-down with it and criticize it ourselves. It’s our role as poets in the world of things.

EXERCISE:

Title a poem using the word you deem most important from an article. Is there an image here? Make sure that you address three things: the voice/bias of the piece, its intended audience, and then the subject matter. To finish the poem off, write a bit about how you feel on the topic. If you wish, try to address your own bias. I don’t think this part is as important because I believe it’s a reader’s responsibility to address biases, but I think that we writers should question what we put out there.

To get you started, check out the following articles:

“The Scourge of Racial Bias in New York State’s Prisons”

“Global Warming Research in Danger as Trump Appoints Climate Skeptic to NASA Team”

“Snooping, data leaks and the threat to online privacy”

Oh please, y’all. Help me identify these biases.