I am so excited to be facilitating a workshop about the art of writing about love and identity politics. If you're in the Chicago area, please come see me! This workshop will occur during the 2017 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitationals (CUPSI), so come check out all of the amazing teams competing, particularly Tulane (me being their coach bears no bias.)
Name: ChristineHometown: Waukegan, IllinoisAge: 26Age You First Fell in Love: 24Love Is: I think love is being able to do nothing with somebody and it feels like you didn't miss anything.Monique: And was there a time that you thought you were in love before twenty-four?Christine: (Pauses and laughs) Yes.Monique: How was that different than when 24 came around.Christine: I think the actual feeling of love; the sweaty palms, and heart racing that's when I knew that's what it was.
Name: MassaHometown: Chicago, IllinoisAge: 21Age You First Fell in Love: 19Love Is: Simply, I think it's unconditional. I think it doesn't have an age, it doesn't have a race. (pauses to gather her words and laughs) I guess. . .that's why in the Bible God said the greatest command is love, because it's the hardest thing to feel but it's the strongest emotion out there.Massa: Um, I'm sorry, when you say fell in love, you mean?Monique: Whatever it means to you. If there were more than two times, if there were times maybe you thought you were in love -Massa: Thought.Monique: Yeah, thought, or. . .it doesn't mean the real thing, maybe you thought it was real and later learned it was not.Massa: Well, I thought the first time was 19. But I don't think, I've experienced what I know it to be now. I don't think I've experienced that -Monique: What was different? How old did you say you are?Massa: I'm 21.Monique: So what makes it different now at 21 than at 19?Massa: Just because when you're young, you grow and learn more when you get older. I've seen love, maybe from someone else, maybe I haven't experienced it personally, but I can see in another person or other people's relationship, what love is supposed to be like and I know when I thought it was love, that wasn't it.