On Wednesday, April 5th, 2023, The Harvard Gazette’s Anna Lamb reported on rapper Flavor Flav’s visit to Harvard Extension School, for a HELIX Forum event with the students and course staff of “Poetry in America: Whitman and Dickinson.”

“Professor” Flav joined songwriter Sam Hollander and Poetry in America host Elisa New to discuss three poems by Emily Dickinson—including her endlessly timely poem, “A clock stopped.”

Lamb reports, “The class resonated with Flav, whose decades-long work with Public Enemy has confronted serious issues facing young Black Americans. Responding to Dickinson’s poetry, the rapper described his own attempts at symbolism and how time plays into his writing.”

“Time represents the most important element we have in our lives,” Flav told students during the session. “Time represents our ability to be here. It represents us… we have to use each second to our best value. Time doesn’t wait.” 

Staff Photographer Stephanie Mitchell captured photos for Harvard University.