Channler Twyman
Contributing Writer
“praise the dive into the gut of a friend; the dousing / of my hand in his ribs. praise the softness of skin, / the way it always gives.”
In his poem, “praise” spoken word poet Nate Marshall shows appreciation for all the things in his life that have helped shape his identity as a black man in America. Poetry and the spoken word has always been a huge part of The College of Wooster’s creative culture, especially for students of color. Our history with the greater and outside Wooster community has been riddled with strife. It was through poetry that we have voiced our heartache and pain. It helped us to form sacred spaces and create solidarity between one another as we endure the oppressive environment that is inevitable at a predominantly white institution. Nate Marshall’s presence is more than welcome.
He is the graduate of the University of Michigan’s Helen Zell writer’s program, a Cave Canem fellow, among many other accolades and titles. Nate Marshall’s work centers around his life and the lives of black people in urban areas, particularly based upon his own experiences as a black man. His work reflects the harsh realities of what it means to live as a black person in our society, but it also reflects the love and pride of being one too.
If you want to learn more about his work and hear him read, join the Artful Dodge as they host him on April 11 in Scovel 105 at 7:30 p.m.