A few hours ago, I saw a public service ad online about doing something meaningful for September 11th, which, of course, was a horrible day in American history. So on this day, I’ve decided to celebrate my friend and beloved mentor, the renowned African American poet, educator and activist, Dr. Sonia Sanchez. She celebrated her […]
The way Black poets think about black poetry has been reduced to how and why we represent racial issues. We will not call it service literature, but we do want it to serve.
Now I know scores of poets, and talk about poetry often, and it is often not nearly the bread it was before.
There is a very long tradition of White critics who are invested in keeping Black poets at the margins of Contemporary American Poetry.
That first Cave Canem was the only time in my entire life where I felt truly loved and accepted by other Black people—or people, period. I was completely wrapped up in joy.
Some of y’all know that my poetry deals with African American music. Though I’m primarily known as a blues poet, all forms of Black music and how these affect our culture and who we are as a community have been a preoccupation of mine for a while. An essay of mine, “Blues for Tar Baby: […]