THE POET GOD

What do your friendships say about you? Are they a toxic cocktail or a health brew? Do they encourage growth or are they like weeds around your throat? Do they enlighten and enrich you, or do they drain and deplete you? I sat down for a conversation on this topic with my friends who I refer to as "The Board" to analyze the costs the benefits and the profound rewards.

"Was it enough?" was the question that incapsulated all of my fears and hopes about what the future could be for me.  On this particular day It was one of many, that I wanted to ask all of humanity. I was looking for something certain in an abyss of uncertainty. So I sat in the corner on the bathroom floor where all of this came pouring out of me.

This is a poem born at the intersection of love and faith and what I'm realizing as well as who I'm becoming as I emerge from the shackles of hate. If you've ever been unlucky in love, out of alignment with your God given assignment then you can relate. 

They say two is company and three a crowd, but what happens when busy bedrooms get a little too loud. After reading a controversial article about a couple claiming to make an open relationship work, The Board and I got together in this episode to unpack the article and share our own personal experiences of why open relationships can work and why they often don't. 

Can we as a society get past the black penis or will we be forever mesmerized by it? And if we as a society can’t, will we as Black-men broaden our own ideas surrounding who we are and what we’re worth beyond whatever size we happen to be? Or will the size of our penises for better or worse be held high as part of our identity? Who better to have this conversation with other than a group of black men! I doubt you've ever heard a conversation about penises go this deep! 

We are starting off season three with the sexiest episode we've ever done! So listen as we exploring a plethora of topics as well as answer some of your question about topics of compatibility, dealing with rejection, identifying a toxic connection and when being unclear about your bisexuality boarders on deception! This wouldn't be The Poet God podcast if we didn't weave in a little poetry, so we start things off exploring the experiences of two types of love that have become known to me.

Everything I’ve been through and everywhere I’ve been to, has informed what I now bring to, this space. There are some things you have to show up naked to face. Although this podcast has been a personal journey for me, I’ve been empowered and encouraged by the community that has shown up lovely. So as we go forward with season 3 now 12 platforms strong including (Apple podcast, google podcast, Spotify, Anchor, iHeart Radio and pandora) just to name a few; thousands of downloads later, I believe that together there’s nothing we can’t do!

Hopes die

but they also live

and while they are alive

they have so much to give

it would be foolish to deny

the gifts they have to give

because we can't see why

some of those may be short-lived

hopes die that is why we must let them be

some gifts are for today

others an eternity!

This episode isn't as depressing as the title suggests, it's about some of those thing we have been unwilling to address. It's a poem about looking pass disappointment, and diving into the uncomfortable places to find out how strong we can be. It's a message about understand the greater truths storms come into our lives to help us see. It was inspired by India Arie and I’m so glad you’re here for what is our season finale! I want to thank you so much for taking this journey with me.

After reflecting on Leaving Neverland and the feelings it elicits for me, comes some pertinent questions. How did my molester, who for many years I saw as a monster become my friend? How do we deal with the duality of loving and hating the same thing? How do accept the reality without completely understanding the why, that sometimes the good guy and bad is the same guy? So you made it to part two, you’re something special look at you! And if that’s not you, don’t skip a thing, before you listen to this you need to listen to How 4pm changed everything!

I had the honor of being part of a historical Oprah television event with 200 men including myself who came forward to discuss our personal stories of sexual abuse as young boys on two award-winning episodes of Oprah's Farewell Season called "200 Men Molested Come Forward" This Poem (200 Heroes) was inspired by that liberating experience.