she a ba-a-a-d poet
for sonia sanchez
sistah sonji, matriarchal mother muse
vivacious vanguard voice, ìyá agba &
amengansie, gathered up street sounds,
folk sounds, black sounds, like palm
kernels, cupped them in the slender
fingers of her breath, held them long,
passed them from one hand to the other,
exhaled, let them fall into discernible
patterns, themes, motifs & figures, onto
paper, into artistic exegesis, into poems
pleasing & harmonious to most black
folk, harsh & discordant to those others
who could not/would not understand. her
soul’s silent scream resounded in the
fetalsong of a nascent black arts
movement. she a ba-a-a-d poet!
©Joseph McNair; 2009
All of your poems are awesome. You have so much talent. It is a gift from God... :)
ReplyDeleteshe was ahead of her time, the best kind of poetry is the one that promotes fraternity among our fellow human beings.
ReplyDeleteSonia Sanchez is the acknowledge "mother" of the black arts movement (1965-1978). a very nice tribute to a fine poet.
ReplyDelete