[stylist] Black History Month - a Poem

[Lynda Lambert]

February is Black History Month. . .

 I was initially scheduled to do a lesson on the poetry of African Americans in December. I have been struggling with health issues, and been recovering from surgery since the beginning of January. Therefore, I thought I would bring you some poems of African American poets during February. I will post some poems by different black poets from time to time during this month. I think you will really enjoy meeting some poets you may not be familiar with, and maybe revisit some you already know.

 

This morning I would like to introduce you to Gwendolyn Brooks. She was born in Topeka, Kansas  (1917) but grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She is generally considered an Illinois poet. In her earlier years, prior to 1967,  she focused on depicting the characters of her race, to bring them to life on the page.  The local people of her neighborhood were the subject of her poems. She passed away on December 3, 2000.

 

I had the privilege of attending a writing workshop for poetry one afternoon at Slippery Rock University of PA. Gwendolyn was the poet in residence that day and budding poets could read a poem for her and she would respond to it. She was so gentle and kind, and encouraging to the young students who read for her.  When one of them said, with hesitation, that she had self published a chap book of her work.  Brooks looked at her and said, "You do not need to feel apologetic about publishing your own book. It is a book after all. You wrote a book. You have a published book. That is something to be proud of."

 

In 1967 Gwendolyn Brooks'  work changed after she took a workshop at Fisk University and met other black poets, such as Amiri Baraka. She had a "New Awakening" through this experience. I have always been aware that an encounter with one person can change your life forever, and this was certainly true for Brooks.

 

Brooks' first book was published in 1945. She won a Pulitzer Prize; and was Poet Laureate of Illinois. She succeeded Carl Sandburg in that position.  

 

I am posting a link so you can hear her read her poem, "A Song in the Front Yard."  It is from 1963, one of the earlier poems where she describes what she sees and thinks about the people in her neighborhood.

 

As you listen or read this poem you can think about the carefully chosen words. This poem is full of symbols - you might try to identify some of them and then think about what she is conveying to the reader through the symbolism. Her symbols begin before you even start reading the poem..look at the title of it. Begin there.

 

 Listen  to Brooks read her poem "A Song in the Front Yard" here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWA6V3OaoR8



You can read the text copy of this poem by opening up the attachment. Enjoy!





Lynda Lambert, BFA, MA, MFA
104 River Road
Ellwood City, PA 16117

724 758 4979

My Blog:  http://www.walkingbyinnervision.blogspot.com
My Website:  http://lyndalambert.com



 
 
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