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What’s African American About African American Poetry?

In November 2000, the Poetry Society of America and The New School sponsored a panel bringing together five writers—Elizabeth Alexander, Cornelius Eady, Tracie Morris, and Harryette Mullen, along with moderator Kevin Young—to consider the question “What’s African American about African American Poetry?” The event expanded upon a similar conference sponsored by the same pair of institutions in 1998, which asked, “What’s American about American Poetry?” (See Fence Vol. 2, N. 1, Spring/Summer 1999). 

& We Vote

We are nozzles in the bicycle world
We are accused of elastic worlds of height
We are right in the center world

They’re Gone

You may have to wait another generation.
When was the last time you saw one?
Ever see one anymore?

Deliverance

The Steelers have Mike Webster for the center,
never missing a game, he is the longest active Steeler member,
executing good mobility and pass protection well, the NFL love him.

After the Last Fright

I carved upon my desk unsayables.
He drank until he vomited on himself.
Eavesdropping, the others resisted sleep.
The house knew the pain of sun on lacquered floorboards.