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Jeffrey McDaniel
I wasn't planning on this dude being the Easter poet but I suppose it fits just fine. Jeff has always been able to make me laugh and cry simultaneously. Like many a great artist, the man is a little touched in the head. I don't have words for Jeff McDaniel so if you get a chance to read or hear him, do it. This is from his book, Alibi School:
( Disasterology ) -
Nikki Giovanni
I've heard that a culture is measured by the status of its woman. I'm not sure about that but I do know that most of my heroes are female. The poetry world seems to be underrepresented by women but the ones who do stand out among the men are truly amazing.
( We ) -
DJ Renegade
In 1993, 1994 I was living in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. On the naval base. I found the base boring, lonely. I spent a lot of time in the gym, a lot of time drinking, and a lot of time reading. My sister would send me books from the States all the time. Among these was a collection of poetry: Fast Talk Full Volume. I was delighted, upon my return ( Read more... ) -
Gwendolyn Brooks
More than once in my life I have considered doing poetry full time. I should say, as my only job. The day job that I currently keep, waiter/bartender, was taken in large part because it allows me to take time off for poetry gigs when I get them. Long ago when I was still managing fast food and frustrated because I was passing up poetry ( Read more... ) -
Sexting
Phillip Alpert, 18, received a naughty picture of his girlfriend, 16. When they broke up, Phillip sends the girl's picture all over the web. Phil is charged for child pornography and has to register as a sex offender. I saw Phil boo-hoo'ing on the news; he feels he was treated harshly. Phil is an ass. Among the reasons for the law is ( Read more... ) -
E. Ethelbert Miller
The weather has taken a nasty turn. Yesterday there was a bunch of white stuff floating from the sky. I couldn't tell if they were dogwood petals or snow. I can't even tease girls for wearing mini-skirts with winter boots; they all seem appropriate now. It's less than a week away from Easter and I am ready for summer to get here already. I'll ( Read more... ) -
Louise Bennett
You probably never heard of her unless you are Jamaican. Bennett wrote a lot of social commentary using comedy as a tool. Some people even consider her a comedian first, then poet. She was a poet. In her concise lyrical way she made you take a closer look at what was happening in her country, Jamaica. Did I mention she wrote in Jamaican Patois ( Read more... ) -
Shakespeare
They are blooming, those bushes that get yellow as Easter dresses. And the trees that grow those pink, cotton-candy poofs. And the white trees too. There are still a lot of naked branches, late bloomers like myself. Despite the runny eyes and noses, this is my favorite time of year. Let’s celebrate with a love poem. This is the Bard keeping ( Read more... ) -
Pedro Pietri
In 1995 I knew little about slam. I remember being in a local one or two and drinking the prize money at the venue where I won it before driving home. Then this spot on Connecticut Ave., I don't even remember the name, held a $100 slam. It was the biggest purse I had seen for such a competition and it brought the heavy guns out to compete. ( Read more... )