Packed into the upstairs area of Prairie Lights, a large crowd of people waited for Hanif Abdurraqib, a visiting professor at the University of Iowa. Every inch of space was taken up, ready for the bestselling author to fill the room with his words.

Abdurraqib, originally from Columbus, Ohio, was invited to teach by the director of the Nonfiction Writing Program at the UI, John D’Agata, and accepted the one-semester teaching position for the spring semester.

“I’m not the teacher, normally,” Abdurraqib said in an interview with The Daily Iowan before the reading. “I’m not someone who has academic aspirations, but you know, I do like the challenge and excitement of being in a room where folks are talking about writing.”

Abdurraquib’s work, chiefly consisting of poetry and nonfiction, often looks at the relationship between pop culture, especially music, and everyday life. He said realizing that understanding music meant more to him than just songs made him want to work with the subject.

“I wanted to bring [music’s effect] to life in a way that engaged with the work critically but also engaged with the small moments in my life that were propelled forward by the work or soundtracked by the songs,” he said.

While the books mainly consist of smaller compilations of poetry and nonfiction essays, Abdurraqib said he crafts each book in a style that takes readers on an emotional journey, one that he himself wants to go on.

Applause echoed as the renowned author and poet made his way to the mic at the front of the room. He gave a simple, brief outline of how the night was going to go before diving into his first poem “Prestige.”

Performing with a smooth, melodic voice and a rhythm that invited the audience in, it came as a surprise when he told the audience that he was still getting back into the swing of readings since it was his first one of the year. Over 70 readings he did last year gave him plenty of room not to mess up.

Abdurraquib told a humorous backstory before the next two pieces. The first poem, “Man It’s So Hard Not to Act Reckless” is inspired by and takes some lyrics from Kanye West’s “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” back, as Abdurraqib puts it, when Kanye was “cool.”

The next poem consisted of a strange backstory originating from New Haven, Connecticut, where Abdurraqib lived for two and a half years. According to Abdurraquib, New Haven was a place that blended liberal racism with “lots of pizza.” He lived above a low tier pizza shop that one day attempted to sell pizza without cheese to their customers.

“Not to give it away, but the cheese is a metaphor,” he said to the audience just before mentioning his crumbling marriage that occurred during the same time.

For his last piece, Abdurraqib read from his potential upcoming book part of an essay titled “On the performance of softness.” Mixing reflections on his brother, how to show male affection, and the Wu Tang Clan, his piece — although the longest of the readings — kept each member of the audience enthralled.

Even though the pieces he read are from different books, the audience was still taken on a journey through these moments that were filled with pain and learning, while becoming aware of the effect that small things have in Abdurraqib’s life.

“My favorite thing is often how I arrive at doing the work on the page and what that journey offers me,” Abdurraqib said.