Ms. Teena Marie---I will miss you girl!!!

I've be a Teena Marie fan since Square Biz and Casanova Brown. But, one night at Nassau Coliseum over two decades ago, Ms. Teena walked on the stage to sing with Rick James and amid the boos, the tough crowd embraced this tiny woman whose skin color had nothing to do with her powerful voice and homegirl presence.

I have her music on permanent rotation and will forever love this woman. Goodbye sweet Vanilla Child....you will be missed.

Merry Christmas

Lynette Yiadom-Boakye-Artist

Lynette Yiadom-Boakye is a Ghanian born, London bred artist with a penchant for portrait art. The heavy rotation of art dealing with people of African descent has propelled this young artist to new heights. Having solo exhibits around the round, Ms. Yiadom-Boakye's work has come to the Studio Museum in Harlem. On view from November 11,2010-March 13,2010, Any Number of Preoccupation will feature works created between 2003-when the artist completed her postgraduate work at the Royal Academy Schools and 2010. The total works are twenty-four of fictional portraits in oils on canvas. Enjoy the exhibit and tell me what you think?

"Summerdreams" a poem by Charles Pouncy

I read in Walter Mosley's book on becoming a writer, that potential writers to be should take a poetry class to help with their writing rhythm. I haven't taken a class as of yet, but I found this poem while reading,"Freedom in this Village" Twenty-five years of Black Gay Men's Writing edited by E. Lynn Harris and it goes like this:

One of those D.C. nights in the summertime.
Either damp or soggy
at 2:00 a.m.
but always hot
mist cloaks the street lights
no animals on the street
because it's too hot outside
but the men are out.

The air is limp
a membrane of dust, moisture and pollen
incubating anger and violence
witness, the sirens through the night
communicating lust and passion and immediacy
as i walk into Malcolm X Park
and smell the heat
strong like ripe fruit brewing in a trashcan
do you risk a taste?
still the smell compels
drawing you closer and deeper
into the rhythm of the heat
the shadows and instinctive movements.

I walk up the stairs bounding the downward watercourse
my eyes lingering on the forms
positioned along the path
I touch my face
fingers slowly tracing the sweat on my brow
my eyes
searching their black wet faces
for their eyes
(it shows in the eyes)
and I'm hot and keep walking.

Ahead someone walks towards me
an outline
an image with long black limbs
stuffed into tight white shorts
and a shirt open to the waist
set against the thick darkness of the night
but the darkness recedes before him
there is not doubt that I am staring
our eyes touch
a spark flies between us
leaving the smell of lust
lingering in the moist air
I inhale
and it settles in the pit of my stomach.

He stops before me
too close to ask for the time
or a light
he stops
just one hot, damp breath away
sweat drips down the side of his nose
and disappears in the corner
of his mouth
he embraces his lips with his tongue
there are words
hard and provocative and we know the deal.

We turn and climb the stairs
leading to the park's upper level
we stop on the landing
there are words
a joint is produced
we smoke
inhaling each other's breath
he leans back into the shadows of a corner

I lean forward following
he is thin and firm but pliant
he welcomes my arms
and I am lost in his ahs and his sweat
our torsos disengage
but we remain locked below the waist
grinding, groping
I put my hand inside his shirt
the hairs on his chest
sizzle
another spark flies
and I feel his dick pressing into my stomach
I think about assault with a blunt weapon
he widens his stance
he smiles
it's time to go home
I wake up.


This poem brought back strong memories of living in Washington D.C. during the height of it's Black Gay Decadence---late 1980's-mid 1990's. It was a time of freedom of sexual expression and wanting, longing and going to the parks late at night and finding release from the summer heat.

Jupiter Hammon, America's First Published African American Poet

Jupiter Hammon, the first published African American Poet came out in Hartford, Connecticut in 1760. Mr. Hammon a slave on Long Island in New York was a preacher as well. His first work: " An Evening's Thought: Salvation by Christ, with Penitential Cries", was an 88 line broadside poem. The poem was, "A Winter's Piece" published in 1761 and several other works were published throught 1787.

Mr. Hammon didn't want to be a freed slave, because of this deep connection to his slaveowner's merchantile business. But, did not judge others that wanted to be free.

Belle da Costa Greene--Chief advisor to J.P. Morgan

Belle da Costa Greene or Belle Marion Greener was the director of acquistions for J. P. Morgan during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Ms. Greene a graduate of Princeton University was recommended by Mr. Morgan's son for the position of director of art for the Morgan Library. Ms. Greene who is of African American heritage was put in a position of power. She travelled the world buying art treasures and making deals on Mr. Morgan's behalf. Vivacious, intelligent and shrewd describes Ms. Greene ascent to the top of her game. For a black woman to pass as white during this time period was incredible.

Recently, the Morgan Library was renovated and the office where Ms. Greene conducted business is open to the public for the very first time. Viewers will revel in the restore marble and original details of the office that holds some of this country's treasured art.

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf by Ntozake Shange

Ntozake Shange powerful choreopoem about the struggles of women of color and the loves,joys, betrayals, tragedies and the ultimate rising from the throes of life as told by seven characters is a classic. Mr. Tyler Perry in the modern age has decided to direct, write the screenplay and produce this powerhouse poem for the worldwide movie audience. Mr. Perry has made movies that a certain genre of the population would appreciate, that being said, he continues to tap into these resources as a means to seal in his base and make a pretty dollar doing such. Mr. Perry's work is superficial and debasing, but the box office is no lie, when it comes to support of his work. To take on this challenging work by Ms. Shange, Mr. Perry wants the world to view his as a serious director. Well, it remains to be seen. I will attend the opening night of this movie and give you my feedback, but, I'm a little taken aback by the early reviews and some of the choices of his leading ladies.

Note: I saw the movie without paying any attention to the critics and was blown away by movie, the actresses and the modern day approach to the same old problem most women endure. This timeless poem was treated with respect and the dignity that it deserve. This was truly a teaching point for me and that would be," take some of the blame, for the way your life turned out". It opened the flood gates in my life and I've set to resolve and find an immediate solution. But, I digress: Tyler Perry put this vehicle out there and he can't have it back. I must admit, I've never been a fan of his plays or his movies, but this movie has changed my thinking of him as a promising and maturing director. I want to see more!!! I crave an outlet for our men and women of color to see themselves on the big screen and be proud that our race can reach a wider audience. After seeing this movie, I read two reviews and the NY Times gave a glowing epilogue and the Gay rag here in NYC gave it the thumbs down. I wonder why some white critics didn't seem to grasp the complex poems and how the characters interacted with one another or perhaps some of these critics couldn't fully understand what the poem was conveying in the early 1970's and is still somewhat relevant today. I  will shoot off a letter to the reviewer and ask the question," Did you read the choreopoem before you saw the movie?". I reread this classic that is performed in high schools and colleges across the country and what Mr. Perry brought to the screen was purity and wonderment for each character and even through the poem was passed around to the different cast members, nevertheless the dialogue in between was interwoven seamlessly.

I would say RUN, don't Walk to see this movie, it's truly a masterpiece!!!