In poker, the best hand wins only 12% of the time… — The week before I took my French Language Diploma exam, I flunked a test so bad that I went home and told my mother that I was pulling out of the exam. She gave me that look that told me, “Over my dead body,” and then calmly told me I…

The unnecessary angst caused by procrastination — Our garbage disposer died last week Thursday. I flicked the switch on after supper and instead of loud, greedy grinding, all that came out was a hum. I turned it off, then tried again. Hummmmmm. Oh no. I tried one more time. Silence. Even the hum had gone. A few…

The level of connection possible on Clubhouse is unlike that on any social media platform I have been on. — A friend recently sent me an invitation to the new audio-based social media platform, Clubhouse. I immediately jumped on, planning to spend a few minutes checking it out, but spent two hours in virtual rooms, listening to everyone from actress and comedian, Tiffany Haddish, to entrepreneur, Larry Kim. In one…

In our blanket vilification of all police, we are guilty of the same thing we are fighting. — When I was in my first year of University, a riot broke out on campus. …

Why are you so afraid of sharing your poetical self with the world? Here are a few common excuses closet poets make… — There are so many closet poets — I was one for many years — who won’t come out and say they write poetry. There are a number of reasons for this; none that I’ve heard so far are good enough to hold. They are simply excuses. Here are a few… …

How do you develop greater emotional intelligence, improve your mastery of language and become more aware of the world, all at the same time? Poetry. This morning, I came across an audio recording on Poetry Out Loud about the importance of poetry. It captures succinctly why poetry is da ish…

Everyone, from the CEO of the gym I attend and my friends on Facebook to the governor of Massachusetts and the President of the United States, has been sending me non-stop messages about COVID-19 for about a week now. I know you’ve been getting them too. There are a few…

There are many benefits for writers who come out of their shells to commune with other creatives — In November last year, an old writing friend reached out to me. I was pleasantly surprised that she had contacted me, but it quickly became apparent that she was not just trying to make nice. She wanted some help. Her book had just been published and she was calling up…

In 2005, I met Trinidadian-born British poet and painter, John Lyons at a week-long writing residency in the UK. …