Monday Muse: Poet Clint Smith

I've learned more from them than I have in any class.

~ Clint Smith

Poet, essayist, and educator Clint Smith, author of Line/Breaks, teaches creative writing inside Bay State Correctional Center, Norfolk, Massachusetts. His exchange with the men in his classroom is far from one-sided, as he quickly learns, for he discovers at Bay State a community that turns upside down his outsider's opinions of the long-term incarcerated and prison life. 

Watch the video below, directed by Charles Frank and produced by Andrew Hutcheson, then read Smith's essay at Upworthy, a site whose mission is to focus on "things that matter", including democracy and human rights, diversity and equality, the environment, justice, and science and technology, among other broad topics.

My thanks to TED blog, where I learned of the film and essay.

Also read Taryn Finley's piece for HuffPost Black Voices, "This Poet Taught Creative Writing to Prisoners and Learned an Incredible Lesson: His Revelations Are Eye-Opening", August 4, 2015.

Selected Poems and Essays

Clint Smith Videos

Clint Smith TED Talk

Clint Smith on FaceBook, Twitter, and Tumblr

Upworthy on FaceBook and Twitter