Summer Hiatus

What a whirlwind this summer has been! I'm currently in Madison, WI. This is such a pleasant get-away and easy space for reading and writing poetry. Here's a photo of my grandfather's house where much of my work takes place.


I just picked up Nikky Finney's Head Off & Split and Kwame Dawes' Duppy Conqueror at a cozy, little indie bookstore in downtown Madison called "A Room of One's Own" (after a book by Virginia Woolf.) I've looked to Finney and Dawes for inspiration in writing my fifth book of poetry, due out in the spring of next year.

Believe it or not, in this brief two and a half week stay in Madison, I finished writing my fifth book. This next work will concern one theme, namely, love. As you may know, this is a topic I have turned to in many of my early books and one that has been a favorite for many readers. I am currently considering two different titles. I will chose either Love Emphatically  or We Gather in the Name of Love.  The book will concern not only romantic love but love of family and friends. This was a wonderful book to write. And I have quite enjoyed my stay here in Madison. My time has been quite fruitful!

While I have been here, I also managed to get "A Room of One's Own" to put my poetry books on their shelves! So, if you find yourself in downtown Madison, within the next six months, do not hesitate to stop by this quaint little bookstore and pick up your copy of my latest book or some of the earlier titles, if you have not yet done so.

While I have been here, there has been little time to spare, between arts festivals, restaurant week, visiting friends and family, and writing. I also had the opportunity to visit an exhibit called "30 Americans" at the Milwaukee Art Museum. This special exhibit, now at the Museum until early-September, showcases the artwork of the most influential African American contemporary artists from across the country over the course of a forty-year period (Basquiat included). For details on who else was featured, visit www.mam.org.

I was quite impressed by the scale and scope of the exhibit. Every media and genre was represented. The works included in the exhibit varied from inspiring to disturbing. Some examined history, while others celebrated the strides made over the generations. The exhibit was exhaustive but kept me wanting to see more. It was altogether time well-spent.

This final picture was taken just three weeks ago at a family event in Plymouth Meeting, PA. I arrived with a table full of books and managed to sell a few to family and friends. As potential customers glanced at the books at my table, I received many words of encouragement, "Keep writing!" they said.

July was a busy month for me and for my poetry. I hope to return to writing weekly blog posts sometime this fall. Stay tuned!