Poetry Will Never Die

For the past month or so, we have been touched by the outpouring of support for our new authors (Tara Betts, Antoinette Brim, Curtis L. Crisler) and their debut poetry collections. Thanks to fellow writers and poetry aficionados across the country, a door was opened for them during these hard economic times. The patronage shown these authors proves that there is still a powerful and viable market for poetry. Poetry should never be allowed to die; this world needs it now more than ever. It is our hope that this show of support will continue and build to the point where we have an unshakeable and consistent network of writers and readers ready to face the challenges of the new publishing paradigm--together.

The Blooming of a Sunflower, Part I

A Journey into the Creation of Psalm of the Sunflower by Antoinette Brim, Part I

As she nears the completion of her debut poetry collection, Psalm of the Sunflower, Aquarius Press author Antoinette Brim has agreed to share some of her thoughts about the creative process and her role as a poet in a world that sometimes forgets its poets:

I remember how I first discovered poetry. At about seven, I chanced upon Langston Hughes' Dreams. I don’t recall that I had yet begun to dream dreams, but I understood the power of a dream having just read King’s Dream speech from a volume of the Negro Heritage Library my Nana had given me. I looked out of my bedroom window at the frozen New Jersey landscape. I knew that when I began to dream dreams, I would hold fast. . .

. . .As I prepare for the release of my debut collection of poetry, Psalm of the Sunflower, it is apropos that, I again think about discovery and identity through poetry. All grown-up now, a woman in the South for the better part of thirty years, I have measured myself by what are sometimes very strict and conservative social mores. A failed marriage and the resulting single parenthood was a painful induction into a realm of unreturned phone calls, un-invitations and social anonymity. It was cause for prayer and the cause of poverty. However, my divorce after fifteen years of marriage and three kids, created an opportunity not to recreate myself, but to self-actualize – to, as Walcott would say, “love again the stranger who was your self.” Writing the book showed me again that poetry could tell me the whole, unabridged truth about the world, about me and about me in the world. My poetry taught me to dream dreams. And, as I learned so long ago, "to hold fast."

Goodbye and Thanks to E. Lynn Harris

It was shocking to hear about the death of author E. Lynn Harris. I first met him about a decade ago, when he was kind enough to speak at the first Midwest Poets & Writers Conference in Detroit. I was a part of the planning team, and was nervous about how to deal with a famous author. Having heard about diva-esque authors and their tantrums, I was concerned. We wanted to make a good impression, but didn't want any trouble. Upon his arrival, to my pleasant surprise, the first thing I saw was Mr. Harris' smile: it was bright, warm and gracious. Mr. Harris was that way the entire time he was there, and I learned alot from him about the publishing industry. When Mr. Harris returned for another conference years later, even more famous, he still had his friendly manner. He made us laugh more than once and was willing to share his process with aspiring writers. His famous story of fame, selling one book at a time out of his car, will always be an inspiration to me. It is sad that he had to leave this world so soon, but he made good use of his time.

The Battle for Independent Bookstores

The recent news of the impending demise of Shaman Drum Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan is distressing, indeed. One of the most enduring and well-known bookstores in the Midwest, the Shaman Drum closing signals the end of an era. It is ironic and hard to believe that this store in particular would succumb, considering it is located in the heart of the University of Michigan, one of the top universities in the world. The double irony, though (if there is such a thing) is that the store's relationship with the university is partly the reason why the store has to close. According to the owner in a February article, the store lost business because of the digital revolution (many of the university's course materials were now being offered online, erasing the need for traditional textbooks). The owner also cited the disturbing government report about the decline in literary readers in the United States. These two reasons, coupled with what has already happened to independent stores due to the major chains, makes for a perfect storm.

I would venture to add one more reason, but one that does not have to be inevitable for the stores that remain. As an independent publisher in business 10 years, I can attest to the poor treatment I and my colleagues have received from some independent stores. Perhaps it's the perception that "local" can't possibly be good enough to endorse, so stores spend thousands to bring in a famous author from somewhere else for programs. This situation is doubly difficult for local publishers carrying quality literary titles by multicultural authors. While of course no store can take on every book prospect that comes through their doors, there are many award-winning authors from within that store's very own community (with impeccable credentials and a a strong public following) who get ignored.

It is my belief that a connection with the surrounding community is important, and that is directly tied to supporting talented authors within that community. This support also stabilizes the local economy. Perhaps independent stores will be more open to this idea as we move into the future.