Prompt Responses Podcast

Two baptisms, a Prince purge, a Catholic mass, and still—no Jesus. I’m back from hiatus with a deeply personal Prompt Response on belief, un-belief, and the grace in not knowing.#PromptResponses #AgnosticAndOkay #GraceNotCertainty #LangstonHughes #blacksky, #bluesky #writers, #writing, #poetryofinstagram Intro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

What if legacy isn’t about wealth, but about who gets worn down in the name of keeping others whole? This reflection, inspired by Donna Kate Rushin’s The Bridge Poem, looks at emotional labor, letting go, and choosing peace over performance. Intro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0#writing #writingprompt #prompts #poetry #poet #podcastDonna Kate Rushin's Poem: The Bridge Poem

Winter’s got nothing on determination. This post reflects on freezing commutes, quiet sacrifices, and the kind of love that doesn’t shout but still shows up. A nod to Robert Hayden’s Those Winter Sundays. Intro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0#writing #writingprompt #prompts #poetry #poet #podcastThis video was made with ClipchampIntro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0#writing #writingprompt #prompts #poetry #poet #podcastThis video was made with Clipchamp

A broken wrist, a head gash, second-degree burns—and not a shred of fear. This reflection looks back at the wild resilience of childhood, where danger was just part of the ride. Featuring Robert Louis Stevenson’s My Shadow and a nod to the girl who dared to fly.

Reflective & PersonalThe oldest thing I’m wearing is my wedding ring. It holds a story of survival, healing, and choosing love that doesn’t hurt. This piece is about what it means to reclaim joy, trust, and self-worth—one safe, steady moment at a time.Intro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0#writing #writingprompt #prompts #poetry #poet #podcast

Leadership isn’t always loud. Sometimes it looks like listening, building together, and sharing vision. This sketch captures the quiet strength of true collaboration.Intro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Summer fruits and childhood freedom go hand in hand. Bike rides, kickball, and juice-dripping plums—this reflection captures the joy of seasonal sweetness and sun-drenched days. Take a bite of nostalgia.Intro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0#healing #joy #blackwriters #thissideoftheapple #promptresponses #writing #writingprompt #prompts #poetry #poet

Learning to let joy linger without fear is its own quiet revolution. In this reflection, I explore what it means to be happy after years of waiting for the fall. Read the full piece and let yourself sink into the moment too. Intro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0#healing #joy #blackwriters #thissideoftheapple #promptresponses #writing #writingprompt #prompts #poetry #poet

What does a protest that never happened, a mother’s strength, and MAGA’s latest move have in common? Everything. I wrote about the day 59 white South Afrikaans landed in the U.S. — and why I couldn’t stay quiet. Read dear white people by Danez Smithhttps://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/150542/dear-white-americaIntro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

A leader with no name, a history that won’t stay buried, and a country still simmering. I wrote about the America I was taught to believe in—and the one I’ve lived in since 1969. Read it, share it, sit with it.Read American Sonnet for My Past and Future Assassin [“I lock you in an American sonnet that is part prison”] By Terrance HayesIntro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

The firm’s changing, the future’s unclear, and I’ve stopped trying to predict what’s next. Instead, I’m focused on what I can see: good work, creative momentum, and things that make me feel alive. A little Bukowski, a little Mary Oliver — and a career path that actually fits me.Charles Bukowski's Poem "The Laughing Heart" can be found here: https://allpoetry.com/poem/14326890-The-Laughing-Heart-by-Charles-BukowskiMary Oliver's Poem "Wild Geese" can be found here: https://www.poetry.com/poem/123017/wild-geeseIntro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

A band, a song, and an empty dance floor. That’s all it took. Everybody Loves the Sunshine hit and my husband and I were up, grooving like it was our wedding night. Live music makes moments like that — the kind you don’t plan but never forget.Linda Susan Jackson's poem "Improvisation On Them" can be found here: https://poets.org/poem/improvisation-themIntro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

What makes a brand powerful? For me, it's not the hype — it's intention, consistency, and control. Beyoncé’s brand is a masterclass in all of it. Not about celebrity, but about clarity. Here's why hers is the one I admire most. #Branding #Beyoncé #powerandpresence Lucille Clifton's poem "wont you celebrate with me" can be found here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/50974/wont-you-celebrate-with-meFree Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

What job would you like to do for just one day? I’d like to tend the goat in James Tate’s poem It Happens Like This. The main character doesn’t realize the power of his story—but I do. With one wild tale, he changes everything. Come see how I’d use that goat to change the world.James Tate's poem "It Happens Like This" can be found here: https://poets.org/poem/it-happensIntro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Inspired by a line from Elizabeth Alexander’s poem, I reflect on what it means to move through the world — and community — with love. Even in small gestures, even on hard days. What if the mightiest word is love? I'd love to hear how it shows up in your world.Elizabeth Alexander's Poem: Praise Song for the Day:https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/52141/praise-song-for-the-dayIntro/Outro Music: Free Neo Soul Guitar Sample-86bpm by relajaolab -- https://freesound.org/s/717363/ -- License: Creative Commons 0