Ep 11: Five Life Lessons Learned from Writing Poetry (Part 2 of 2)

In this second half of a special two-part series honoring National Poetry Month, host Dana Tenille Weekes returns to share the final two life lessons she’s learned from her poetry practice—lessons that continue to shape how she defines rest, agency, and belonging.

Even if poetry isn’t your thing, Dana invites you to stay, listen, and reflect. These lessons are about life, not just writing. Through honest storytelling and personal reflection, Dana explores the power of leaning into freedom when faced with constraints and how gratitude becomes a boundary, protecting the things that matter most.

To close out April and celebrate the poetry community, Dana reads three influential works from poets she considers family: Zia Wang, Sullivan Summer, and Rosa Castellano. These readings honor the beauty of creative voice, memory, and presence.

📝 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Recap of the first three life lessons from Part 1
• The last two life lessons learned from writing poetry:

            4️⃣ When you confront a constraint, lean into your freedom
             5️⃣ Gratitude is a boundary

• How Dana approaches constraints as invitations to creativity rather than obstacles
• Why honoring what you're grateful for helps define how others respect your time and energy

• Featured poetry readings:

1. Grandma tells a story about forgiveness by Zia Wang
2. Scientists Say Crows Can Hold Grudges for 17 Years by Sullivan Summer
3. If We Make Our Breath a Poem by Rosa Castellano (from her debut book All Is The Telling)

💭 Reflection Prompts from This Episode:

1. What everyday constraints in your life could be opportunities to return to yourself, rather than barriers?
2. What superpowers can you lean into where your details remain free?
3. Are you making time for the things you’re truly grateful for—and how does your life respect that gratitude?
4. What is one thing you're grateful for that should be put into practice as sacred space?

📚 Mentioned in This Episode:

• Sho Poetry Journal, Issue No. 5
• Killing the Buddha, An Online Magazine 
• Dead End Zine, Issue No. 4
• All Is the Telling by Rosa Castellano (published by Diode Editions) – Buy the book here
• Torch Literary Arts – amplifying Black women writers across the Diaspora

If this episode feels like a message or mirror, feel free to share it with someone who is looking to think about rest differently.

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Until next time, rest, my friends.

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