I’s Twinkle (in Development)

I’S Twinkle

by Nate Weida

I’s Twinkle is an epic poem modeled after Dante’s Divine Comedy in its three parts, telling the story of a young man growing up in Reconstruction Era America—an artist figure who travels from the South northward. The style of the work gradually progresses from an epic poem to a play to a folk opera. It incorporates elements of New York and American history, mythology, philosophy, and theology. Whereas Dante’s Divine Comedy leads its protagonist on a spiritual journey, I’s Twinkle is an artistic one, chronicling the punishments and rewards of a life set towards the arts.