Tenth Anniversary Issue: A Tribute to Guest Editors
Volume 11:1, Winter 2010
Guest Editor, The Science of Love, Spring 2007
Kwame writes:
“1988: I attended a master writing class in Atlanta, taught by creative luminaries like Bill Duke, Cicely Tyson, Douglass Turner Ward, and Spike Lee. There were about 10 of uscollege studentsfrom around the country selected for the program. Several are now professional writers, some actors Off-Broadway, one even a television star. My most vivid memory of this awesome experience is me sharing a poem, about some trite concern, and proudly boasting that I was a Writer (capital W intentional), and the playwright Charles Fuller asking me had I written anything meaningful? More importantly, had I finished anything? Then me not feeling so awesome anymore.
1992: Its Your Mug was a coffeehouse on P Street in Georgetown (DC) that turned into a poetry church on Wednesday Night. Many names, small and big, took communion at those teeming open mics. There was a kid, one Wednesday, who was halfway through a trite poem about well, lets just say this poem was foul-mouthed and simply looking for attention. It was offensive, abusive, and probably needed to be tried and jailed. While the faithful congregation sat appalled, and silent, I suddenly became the judge delivering a sermon. Cut! I yelled. He stopped. Everyone looked. Perplexed. At me. At him. Thats enough, I explained. Later, two poets told me that what Id done wasnt cool, and what was I thinking by disrespecting the mic. I thought of Charles Fuller. Write a poem that cooks, I mumbled, which confused them even more.
2004: A poem came out of these experiences, which I read first at a poetry event in tribute to Langston Hughes at the then-City Museum of Washington, DC. The event was organized by Kim Roberts, literary chef of DCs poetry gumbo. I include it here as a thank you, an acknowledgment, and a tribute to the dynamic opportunities that Roberts and Beltway Poetry have provided to poets like myself.”
From the Editor:
“Kwame Alexander is the only guest editor who asked me if he could edit an issue. I’m not sure if he would have been so anxious had he known how much work was involved! But since I had been thinking of tapping him anyway (unbeknownst to him), I was thrilled to hear of his interest. His terrific Science of Love Issue was published in Spring 2007. In addition, Kwame was a featured poet in 2001, and contributed an essay on Langston Hughes for the first literary history issue, Memory and Influence, in Fall 2003. Kwame, like so many of my guest editors, has distinguished himself as a publisher and an organizer of literary events, and I’ve relied on his fine advice innumerable times.
DANCING NAKED ON THE FLOOR
write a poem with tension like some baptist church split let it walk a tightrope between congregation one and congregation two write a poem that finishes school a magna cum laude poem let it be momentous learn something meaningful share something significant write a poem that looks good not homely or swaybacked give it posture, poise and profile turn our heads when it walks by stomp our feet when it smiles on some superficial level make us want to marry it or at least remember its name the next morning write a poem that works write a poem that works has a job and does it promptly follows rules and responsibilities gets a raise or at least a head nod and when its not feeling well give it sense enough to call in sick and not waste our time with unmet expectations write a poem that has a family not some single life of one-night stands i mean your poem should be in a serious relationship let it commit to something move beyond soap opera sex let it be passionate about something and if it gets excited if it just has to get physical let it be in the privacy of its own beautiful mind .cause we can watch cable at home write a poem that travels gets outside of your cramped apartment leaves all that tired baggage and catches a plane somewhere takes us on a journey to an imagination spawned not by television and film but one that has been somewhere we havent write a poem that reads please write a poem that reads more than headlines and sitcom credits a cultured poem write a poem that knows how to talk not some misbehaving foul-mouth looking for attention an eloquent poem write a poem that dances wild and free naked on the floor a gutsy poem write a poem that cooks i mean it aint got to bake a cake but at least know the ingredients write a poem that exercises i mean cycling is not required but steps never hurt nobody write a poem that runs for office i mean it aint got to win but at least campaign get a clue poets write a poem with an inkling of suspicion i mean it aint got to solve a crime but let it at least offer a tip write a poem that is contagious write a poem that is contagious write a poem that is contagious let it inspire make us want to write a poem about how brilliant and breathtaking and tragic and hopeful life is.
Kathy Keler, “Seeing Through,” 2008, acrylic and alkyd on canvas, 24″ x 20″
WHEN
the world is not so beautiful
the flowers waste water
the women can no longer find their song
the children refuse to play
there are no men to teach to love
the ground inside collapses
the coldest winter screams
the summer burns red
the sea is full of blues
and the sky opens up
At least Ill have poetry
a gathering of words
a get-together of emotions
a font of ideas
hope with wings
poems that fly
IF YOU WERE A COUPLET, I’D RHYME YOU
for samaraca
If you were a ladder
Id climb you
Way up to the top
and Id find you
If you were a doorway
Id enter you
If you were unhinged
Id center you
If you were a secret
Id uncover you
Then seek out your treasure
rediscover you
If you were in front
Id behind you
Pour out some espresso
and grind you
Lets say youre a Bossa
Id hum you
Play you on guitar
and then strum you
If you werent my wife
Id wed you
Then pull out a quilt
and Id bed you
But, since youre my woman
Ill just love you
And kiss that sweet halo
above you
Kwame Alexander is a poet, publisher, and an award-winning producer of literary programs. Dubbed a "phenom" in the poetry world by The Charleston (SC) City Paper, Alexander has written for television, the stage, and authored 13 books including the best-selling Do The Write Thing: 7 Steps to Publishing Success, And Then You Know: New & Selected Poems, and a young adult title, Crush: Love Poems. He speaks, and conducts writing/publishing workshops at schools and conferences throughout the country. Alexander resides in the Washington, DC area, where he produces the annual Capital BookFest, in Largo, MD, Charleston, SC, and Harrisburg, PA. He currently serves as Founding Director of Book-in-a-day, a literacy program that teaches high school students how to write poetry and publish a book—in one day. The Kwame Alexander Papers, a collection of his writings, correspondence, and other professional and personal documents is held at the George Washington University Gelman Library. To read more by this author: Kwame Alexander: Winter 2001 Kwame Alexander on Langston Hughes: Memorial Issue Kwame Alexander's Introduction to The Science of Love Issue, Spring 2007