Caddo Parish's Poet Laureate, Poetic X, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:

0:30 1. Poetic, you are Caddo Parish’s poet laureate.

Let’s start here today.

You grew up in Shreveport’s Lakeside/Allendale neighborhoods. I’m always curious to hear the stories of how people first discover a passion. Can you take me through the beginning of when you first became interested in poetry and spoken word?

4:18 2. Many folks are intimidated by two things and I’m curious to hear your words of wisdom.

First, for people who are intimidated by poetry, who view it as a foreign language and have a hard time understanding what they are reading, do you have any advice for them?

10:28 3. Also, you are a multi creative. You have written fiction and nonfiction, created music, performed spoken word, and been involved in numerous visual art projects.

For people who have something to say but are reluctant to take those first steps to expressing themselves creatively, what suggestions or words of wisdom could you share?

18:18 4. As I mentioned earlier, you are Caddo Parish’s Poet Laureate. Tell me a little about how one becomes poet laureate and some of the opportunities you get to pursue in this role.

23:24 5. Paint a picture of your creative process. How do you decide to create something? Is this something you do daily? Is it spontaneous or is there real structure every day to what you decide to pour your energies into?

26:48 6. As you look out at our community, what gives you hope that we’re headed in a positive direction?

34:31 7. Do you want to share a few lines of something you've written?