“Write a poem about a social injustice.”
That was it? That was the assignment? Yes, that was it. My high school English teacher offered no further explanation—just a due date.
I could think of a lot of social injustices: racism, economic and social inequality, having to write this poem without being given any pointers on how to write one! As the days went by, none of my most promising ideas came into focus, or took shape in the form of a poem. I knew where my talents lay. A poet I was not!
