Poets with Promise

Add a Comment

Comment by Valjeanne Jeffers on August 23, 2009 at 3:33pm

Man of Rivers (for Quinton Veal)
Let my breath
wash your broad face
pool in your sepia collarbone
anoint your bread

As you taste
catch the crumbled pieces
mixed with tears
hold them tight
in your calloused palms

vows and roads
are etched in water
I float
‘neath southern moons
in your embrace

murmur lust’s syrup and life
near my heartbeat
and I’ll crone swollen,
dripping peaches
sing forever to your soul

And let our cry be ripened by
the dark Mississippi…

My Man of rivers

Copyright Valjeanne Jeffers 2009 all rights reserved

Comment by Spoken Word on July 8, 2009 at 2:16pm

We haven't been treated as queens since we were pulled off the ships. Raped of our dreams and ambitions from beatings and whips. While hoping that loose lips would have sunk the ships that my great grandmother’s grandmother’s mother was riding on. Leaving me to never exist in a history that has been long forgotten.

Comment by Moon on April 16, 2009 at 8:39pm

Jazz
trilling wavy spouts
building in crescendo alongside
fluctuating staccato bathed in
gutteral funk
merged in a slippery symphony
is the life blood of music

tempered by Coltrane
caressed in the bosom of Miles
the ambrosia essence finds roots
in the vocal chords of Cassandra
in the legacy of Marsalis
jazz

let it be known
you are the elder
born of soulful salvation

Happy Jazz & Poetry Appreciation Month!

Comment by Can We Talk! Radio on March 31, 2009 at 11:05pm

QUEEN OF QUEEN PRODUCTIONS, CAN WE TALK! RADIO & SUPREME ENT.

Attention poets, soul artists and lover for the art form!! Join us every 1st and 3rd Monday at the sexy Evolve. Enjoy soulful poetry and good conversation!

Poetry Open Mic List starts @ 7pm
Luv Lounge starts @ 10pm

For more information about this event or to be a featured artist, contact canwetalkradio@gmail.com
visit www.evolve1817.com to view menu

Comment by Eve Hall on March 19, 2009 at 10:26am

Ahhh, April—that special time of year when our thoughts turn to spring, Opening Day in baseball and National Poetry Month in the U.S. So, how do you mark what is supposed to be “the cruelest month?” When you tell friends and family it is National Poetry Month, are your responses similar to this:

“National Poetry Month? Uhmmm … No, I didn’t know.” I’m sure you hear a lot of that.

But after the initial bewilderment, what happens next? Do you explain what happens during the month? Do you inspire dialogue about the meaning of the month? If people ask you, “Why April?” do you have the right answer?

Founded by the Academy of American Poets more than 10 years ago, National Poetry Month has become a way of honoring a time-honored literary genre, while highlighting readings, community events, gatherings, and publications—all related to poetry. April was chosen as poetry month as a nod to T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land” and its famous — or infamous — first line, “April is the cruelest month … .”

My small contributions to the national dialogue about National Poetry Month start with writing a poem a day in April, also known as NaPoWriMo. I also run a community-based literary reading series and attending poetry readings by others. But supporting national poetry month can be as simple as hanging a new poem outside of your office door, which always invites conversation. The Academy of American Poets makes it easy to participate by listing 30 Ways to Celebrate poetry month.

As someone who cannot have enough poetry in her life, my role is to bridge the disconnect between old ideas about poetry and what’s happening now. Poetry has become this dynamic, exciting exchange that brings people together in person or virtually. When people share their favorite poems they are sharing a part of themselves, which is something to be celebrated 365 days a year.

Whether you go down to your local elementary school or local library to volunteer your creative writing skills, host a writing workshop in your home, or take a poet to lunch — whatever you do, April is brimming with people who want to connect with others. In the U.S., spring is just beginning. Nationally and internationally, we are ready discuss the things you just can’t find in the news (yes, that’s a William Carlos Williams reference). In my heart of hearts, I believe that poetry is one of the ties that binds us together. It records our history through emotion and words. Poetry is the oldest of traditions, and I can’t think of anything better to celebrate. (Well, Opening Day in baseball is pretty cool, too!)

So, how do you celebrate National Poetry Month? Do you write a poem a day? Do you read poetry or attend readings? Do you participate in open mike and slams? What are YOUR plans?


www.evehall.com

*********************************************************

P.S. I just won a digital camera for an essay I did 4 Black History Month on Coretta Scott King, yippee!

Comment by Liberated Muse Productions on December 20, 2008 at 7:26pm

Ohiana Book Festival Call for Submissions
2 December 2008
THE OHIANA BOOK FESTIVAL seeks authors to participate in the 2009 festival, to be held May 9 in Columbus. Authors must have an Ohio connection and have published a book between January 2008 and March 2009. For entry information go to www.OhioanaBookFestival.org.

Comment by Liberated Muse Productions on December 9, 2008 at 12:22pm

Here are two opportunities to get published:

http://flordelconcreto.blogspot.com/2008/12/themed-submission-call-woman-deadline.html

and

http://sites.google.com/site/liberatedmuseanthology/

Comment by Morpheus on November 17, 2008 at 11:13pm

Relationship Management - 2008 Year of the Intellectual Black Man - The best free videos are right here

Comment by Moon on November 2, 2008 at 2:42pm

A Call for Essays...

The Three Minds of Black America:

Tresconsciousness and the Twenty-First Century

Are you a man, woman, teen or child of African descent who has been torn by society's expectations of race and class? Have you found yourself developing different personalities in the workplace, in the church, in the neighborhood, in the classroom, with your family and with your peers? Are you struggling to find your true self that is comfortable in all settings and situations?

Tresconsciousness, or triple consciousness, is the idea that Blacks in America are always torn between the ideals of three distinct communities: Eurocentric America, the Black upper middle class community and the greater Black community. As an African American develops their personal identity we are striking a balance between each of the three aspects of ourselves.

A new anthology, The Three Minds of Black America: Tresconsciousness and the Twenty-First Century is calling Africans, African-Americans, Blacks, West-Indians, Native Americans and others of African descent to share a personal essay within this collection.

For a sample essay, frequently asked questions, and submissions guidelines please visit our website: http://sites.google.com/site/tresconsciousness

Direct questions can be sent to thethreeminds@gmail.com .

Submissions are due June 15, 2009

Comment by Moon on November 2, 2008 at 2:18pm

Liberated Muse Productions is now accepting submissions for its anthology Liberated Muse, Volume I: How I Freed My Soul

The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2008.
All submissions should be emailed to LiberatedMuseProductions@gmail.com

Submission requirements are below:

Submissions can be in poetry, visual artwork, prose, or essay form.

Submissions should illustrate an example of when the author experienced or witnessed a moment when they felt truly "free", whatever that definition means to them.

All submissions should be authentic renderings by the person submitting the work. You can not submit work for your friend, relative, student, etc.

Submitted work should not be work that has been published in a book, magazine or online
publication before. (This does not include online poetry sites that allow members to share and critique each other's work).

All authors and visual artists may submit up to three pieces for consideration. Work should be in a Word document (no pdfs) and should appear as you would like it to appear in the anthology

Please include your contact information at the bottom of each submission (Name, email address, phone number). Bios will be requested from those who are included in the anthology

We will contact only those writers and artists whose work will be included in the anthology. As a reminder, inclusion in the submission is not paid. All included writers and artists included, however, will be invited to participate in press appearances and other promotional activities to market the book.

The anthology will be published by Xlibris Publishing and will be sold on Amazon.com, LiberatedMuse.com and other online stores. The book will also be sold at all Liberated Muse Productions events and will be the featured book during the 2009 Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest.

Our terms of agreement will be given to all writers/artists whose work will be included and it is expected that it is signed before a submission is included. It is attached.

We look forward to receiving your submission.