Def Poetry - Sonia Sanchez - Poem for Some Women

Hey Y'all,

Sonia Sanchez is an African-American poet most often associated with the Black Arts Movement. She has authored over a dozen books of poetry, as well as plays and children's books. She was a recipient of 1993 Pew Fellowships in the Arts.

Born: September 9, 1934 (age 78), Birmingham

Spouse: Etheridge Knight

Education: Hunter College (1955), Howard University, New York University

Awards: American Book Awards, Frost Medal

Nominations: National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry

http://soniasanchez.net/ 

Until next time...

MUAH!

Poems by My Sister...

Hey Y'all,
I love to showcase the talent of my family so today I will share a couple of poems written by my beautiful sister Vanessa. She wrote these when she was a teenager and gave them all to me. When I found them in a folder this morning I thought they would be perfect for today's poetry post.

I hope you enjoy them.

Questions at Night

Why?
Is the Sky?

What starts the thunder over head?
Who makes the crashing noise?
Are the angles falling out of bed?
Are they breaking all their toys?

Why does the sun go down so soon?
Why do the night clouds crawl hungrily up the
new-laid moon and swallow it shell and all?

If there's a bear among the stars as all the people
say, won't he jump over those pasture - bars
and drink up the mily way?
Does every star that happens to fall
Turn into a fire fly?
Can't it ever get back to heaven at all?

And why
is the Sky?

Dreams
Hold fast to your dreams
For if dreams die
life is a broken winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

Until next time...
MUAH

Poetry: Chants and Street Rhymes

Hey Y'all,

I'm a Brooklyn girl and I remember doing cheers and street rhymes with my friends in front of our house in East NY and with my cousins in Jamaica Queens. We would play hand games and sing them while jumping rope. I think that Chants and Rhymes should also be celebrated this National Poetry Month.  I enjoyed these growing up.

Share yours in the comments section.

Ooo-ah
Ooo-ah, wanna piece of pie,
Pie too sweet, wanna piece of meat,
Meat too tough, wanna ride a bus,
Bus was full, wanna ride a bull,
Bull too fat, want your money back,
Money too green, wanna jelly bean,
Jelly bean not cooked, wanna read a book,
Book not read, wanna go to bed.
So close your eyes and count to ten,
And if you miss, start all over again.

My daughter LOVES this one.


Until next time...
MUAH!

Poem of the Day: And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou

Hey Y'all,

Happy Birthday to Dr. Angelou.
Today's poem is written and recited by her.


Until next time...
MUAH!

MTA Poetry In Motion: Rag Time by Kevin Young

Hey Y'all,

I am a New Yorker through and through and I enjoy reading the poems that the MTA selects for the Poetry in Motion program. Here is a little background and today's poem by Kevin Young.

Since 1992, when it first displayed an excerpt from Whitman's "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," MTA's Poetry in Motion program has brought more than 200 poems or excerpts before the eyes of millions of subway riders and rail commuters, offering each a moment of timelessness in the busy day.

Until next time...
MUAH!

Def Poetry: Sarah Kay "Hands"

Until next time...
MUAH!

National Poetry Month 2013

Hey Y'all,

April is National Poetry Month.
I considered myself a poet once upon a time. That is until I was introduced to the world of Poets in Brooklyn NY. There was a poetry revelation going on within the African American community, these kids were 'crunchy granola's. The first Black people I've ever meet that were vegetarians and politically radical. I was introduced to this new world through my then boyfriend, now husband who  is a drummer. In those days we were students at Purchase College. I was a Lit major and he was a Jazz major. He was always on the look out for gigs, it didn't matter what it was as long as he could play his drums he was a happy man. During this unknown revolution he was provided the opportunity to tour in Europe with a group named the Vibe Khameleons which featured the raw talent of anti pop musicians and poets. It was through him that I was truly introduced to poetry. Not just to poetry you read in school but true black poets. I learned about  Sonya Sanchez and Nikki Giovanni, listened to The Last Poets and visited the famed  Nuyorican Poets Cafe.

This April I will feature some of the great poems and poets from this revolution  I hope you enjoy it.

Dreams
by Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16075#sthash.Qhgp3eIV.dpuf