Human Connections (MSA Literary Arts)

S4:E4 - Beyond the Pillow

Elayjah Earles, Tiara Jones, and Crislyn Lance share poems inspired by dreams and nightmares—both literal and metaphorical. Through poetry, feedback, and discussion, they explore how one person’s nightmare might be another’s dream, depending on the individual.
 
Listener Writing Prompt: Write a short story about a character who begins to realize they are living in a recurring dream, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. As this episode suggests, dreams don’t only come during sleep, and nightmares aren’t always about monsters under your bed. With this prompt in mind and using inspiration from our poems, embrace your truth and express your truth. Reflect on your light or your fear, and explore it creatively in all its forms. 
 
About Season 4: In this season of the Human Connections podcast, literary juniors and seniors discuss the themes of love, change, dreams, nightmares, and otherness. Each episode features students sharing their original work, offering one another feedback and thoughtful questions, and inviting listeners to reflect and write through creative prompts. Please check the show notes for each episode’s writing prompt.
 
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S4:E3 - The Art of Being Ostracized

In this episode, Chanel Hand, Sone’t Robinson, Jude Ryan, and Amelia Whitaker share poems about the experience of being “othered.” They discuss personal perspectives on what it means to feel like an outsider and offer each other feedback and questions about their work. This episode emphasizes the importance of expressing isolation, difference, and identity through art.
 
Listener Writing Prompt: What can you say about feeling different or strange? Write it down. Explain it. How might your experience help others feel less alone in their “otherness”? How might you help others feel not so “different” or “strange”?
 
About Season 4: In this season of the Human Connections podcast, literary juniors and seniors discuss the themes of love, change, dreams, nightmares, and otherness. Each episode features students sharing their original work, offering one another feedback and thoughtful questions, and inviting listeners to reflect and write through creative prompts. Please check the show notes for each episode’s writing prompt.
 
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S4:E2 - Tragic Beauty in Change

J.T. Ballard, Cooper Brumfield, Carter Hillman, and Quentin McClinton share poems on the difficult—but often transformative—nature of change. They reflect on how transitions shape us as humans and offer each other feedback on their work. Change can be terrifying, exciting, or both, and this episode explores that duality through their poetry.
 
Listener Writing Prompt: Write a piece that finds beauty in the pain of change.
 
About Season 4: In this season of the Human Connections podcast, literary juniors and seniors discuss the themes of love, change, dreams, nightmares, and otherness. Each episode features students sharing their original work, offering one another feedback and thoughtful questions, and inviting listeners to reflect and write through creative prompts. Please check the show notes for each episode’s writing prompt.
 
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S4:E1 - Love in Various Colors

In this episode, Steph Hartmann, Natalia Mather, Richie Stover, and Kierstyn Warner share poems exploring the theme of love—across friendships, family, and romantic relationships. They offer each other thoughtful feedback and reflect on love in its physical, mental, and emotional forms.
 
Listener Writing Prompt: Write about a time you felt most loved. What could you feel, see, taste, touch, or hear—and how did those sensations support or contrast your emotional experience? We wanted this prompt to invite exploration beyond romantic love. Consider writing about a bond that’s often overlooked in mainstream media: your love for a parent, a pet, a friend, or even a community.
 
About Season 4: In this season of the Human Connections podcast, literary juniors and seniors discuss the themes of love, change, dreams, nightmares, and otherness. Each episode features students sharing their original work, offering one another feedback and thoughtful questions, and inviting listeners to reflect and write through creative prompts. Please check the show notes for each episode’s writing prompt.
 
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S3:E12 - Art and What it Means to Us

In this podcast episode, Georgia Bailey and Rowan Booker talk about art and what art means to them. They talk about how art affects their day to day lives and what the world would be like without art. They also talk about the importance of art and why it means so much to them.
 
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S3:E11 - In Pursuit of Art: Weighing the Impact

In this podcast episode, Sarah Lawrence interviews Stephan Lawrence about how choosing whether or not to pursue art can impact a person's life and how either choice can be both positive and negative. Stephan shares his story and his experience, and he shares advice to those who want to pursue art but hold back.
 
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S3:E10 - The Shaping of Two Artists

In this podcast episode, Tiara Jones interviews mother Angela Jones and daughter Miracle Jones about the ways their art has impacted or shaped their lives.  They discuss what it was like growing up in their different eras with their mediums and how it affected themselves and the people around them.  The mother and daughter also give interesting facts about their lives and interests.
 
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S3:E9 - What Music is to Me

In this podcast episode, Sone't Robinson interviews her older sister Tyesha Batteast about her perception of music. Tyesha offers fascinating insight on what it's like to grow up around and create music.
 
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S3:E8 - The Evolution of Writing and Publishing

In this podcast episode, Emmy Bosarge interviews former writer, publisher, editor, and business owner, Jerusha Bosarge, on the inner workings of the publishing industry, as well as how it has changed over time. In addition, Mrs. Jerusha Bosarge offers advice on what writers should stay focused on, her thoughts on the evolution of digital vs. physical publishing, and how the life of writers, publishers, and editors are influenced by the change in technology and popular demand.
 
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S3:E7 - Palindrome Poetry with Dr. Avant and Literaries

In this special podcast episode, Guest Artist Dr. A.H. Jerriod Avant discusses his time with the Literary Arts Department and shares some of his work, including palindrome poetry, from his debut book, Muscadine, published by Four Way Books. MSA Literary students Tiara Jones and Aleria Holmes, share the palindrome poetry they wrote during Dr. Avant’s workshops on the poetic form, the language and dialects of home, and the use of vowel sounds to create emotion in their poetry. A palindrome poem is one in which you must typically use the same words in the first half of the poem as in the second half. Dr. Avant refers to the palindrome as an “echo-like” quality, which listeners will experience while listening to this episode. Tiara Jones was awarded a Scholastic Gold Key Award for her palindrome. And Dr. Avant is the 2024 winner of the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Award for Poetry. You can purchase his award-winning book here.
 
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.
 

S3:E6 - Behind the Curtains of the Theatre Community

In this podcast episode, Aleria Holmes interviews Shakeera Brent on the aspects of theatre no one sees, such as costume making, learning lines, tech rehearsals, and disagreements. Shakeera Brent drops tips and tricks on navigating through the theatre community as well as how welcoming they are.
 
Note: World Theatre Day is March 27th.
 
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S3:E5 - The Human Condition in Secondary Education

In this podcast episode, Ava Lambert interviews Tobie Lambert to discuss the human condition in education. They discuss topics about the classroom, students, and Tobie's personal classroom setting.
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S3:E4 - Birds, Planes, and Artistry

In this podcast episode, Joshua Clark sits down with Gerald McKibben to discuss Mr. McKibben's writing, sculpting, interests, and what makes an artist and artist.
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S3:E3 - Artistic Writing in the Academic Context

In this podcast episode, Cooper Brumfield interviews his grandmother Sandra Burkes, a retired English educator of both Mississippi public and private school systems. Touching on issues such as the country-wide banning of books, problems within the public school system, and the ideologies of school board involvement in individual classrooms.
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

S3:E2 - Melodic Connections: How Music Brings Us Together

In this podcast episode, senior literary Erin Erter interviews MSA staff member Nick Bridge on music and the connections that can be made through it. Bridge shares his experience as a musician and stories of connections seen throughout music history.
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary

S3:E1 - Creativity's Influence on Young Artists

In this podcast episode, Crislyn Lance talks with Brianna Fuentes about creativity and how it affects her as young artists. They discuss how creativity has an impact on artists and what they can do with that.
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary

S2:E5 - Parental Love Through a Child’s Eye

Aleria, Sarah, and Ava explore the intricate parent-child dynamics depicted in short fiction works. Writing prompt: Compare and contrast the parental roles within family dynamics, exploring their similarities and differences.
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary

S2:E4 - A Look into World Building

Adele, Joseph, and Matthew discuss their journeys into worldbuilding and its influence on their writing. Writing prompt: Envision a familiar geographical climate. Describe the diverse range of characters that could inhabit this environment and provide vivid details about their appearance.
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary

S2:E3 - Video Games and their Impact on Culture

Jordan, Simone, and Leo discuss the cultural significance and impact of video games. Writing prompt: Has there been a video game that significantly impacted your life? How did it change you?
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary

S2:E2 - Women in Horror with Emma and Locklyn

Emma and Locklyn discuss how female villains in horror with tragic backstories navigate their worlds. Writing prompt: Write a short story from the perspective of a female villain.
This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.