My Father's Geography I was parading the Côte d'Azur,
hopping the short trains from Nice to Cannes,
following the maze of streets in Monte Carlo
to the hill that overlooks the ville.
A woman fed me pâté in the afternoon,
calling from her stall to offer me more.
At breakfast I talked in French with an old man
about what he loved about America--the Kennedys.
On the beaches I walked and watched
topless women sunbathe and swim,
loving both home and being so far from it.
At a phone looking to Africa over the Mediterranean,
I called my father, and, missing me, he said,
"You almost home boy. Go on cross that sea!"
From My Father's Geography (University of Pittsburgh Press, 1992)
Weaver's personal story is amazing, and I admire both his work, and how he is a walking, breathing 'symbol of growth' -- not many black men who start in East Baltimore end up as professors and students of Chinese.
Weaver on Black Male Poetics
Listen to an audio clip of him reading "Theme For Intermediate Chinese", from the Academy of American Poets website
Even in the short time I've known him, his constant desire to learn and improve has been truly inspirational. I am not ashamed to say he's someone I look up to (figuratively and literally:). I'm looking forward to seeing him again, and to all the other writers -- Dr. Ben Carson, Dan Fesperman, Laura Lippman, Manil Suri, and children's book author Carole Boston Weatherford among them -- literary journals and just plain olf fans of reading who will be joining us on the 19th. Hope to see you there!
2 comments:
Dear Reginald,
Firstly, my apologies if this request is badly word as this is the first time I done this.
My name is Bev and I am currently studying at NOVA. I am writing to you because I was wondering if you would not mind answering some questions in relation to being a Gay African-American writer.
As part of my ENG112 course, we have been study, race, gender, and class. I am doing a presentation on Essex Hemphill – role model. I chose Essex because I enjoy his poetry and something about him intrigues me. When I read Essex Hemphill’s foreword in Brother to Brother he said that he did not have any role models and it struck me how difficult it must have been growing up with no role models.
You mentioned you had once run into Essex on a train and that he had encouraged in your writing and this seemed to have a profound effect on you.
My questions are-
1. Was Essex a role model for you as a poet? And what effect did this have on you?
2. How did meeting Essex on the train affect you?
3. Who were/are your role models? a) As a writer b) As a gay African-American.
I am giving my presentation on Tuesday 15th April which I realize is really soon but if you could get back to me before then I would really appreciate it.
Regards, Bev
Dear Reginald,
Firstly, my apologies if this request is badly word as this is the first time I done this.
My name is Bev and I am currently studying at NOVA. I am writing to you because I was wondering if you would not mind answering some questions in relation to being a Gay African-American writer.
As part of my ENG112 course, we have been study, race, gender, and class. I am doing a presentation on Essex Hemphill – role model. I chose Essex because I enjoy his poetry and something about him intrigues me. When I read Essex Hemphill’s foreword in Brother to Brother he said that he did not have any role models and it struck me how difficult it must have been growing up with no role models.
You mentioned you had once run into Essex on a train and that he had encouraged in your writing and this seemed to have a profound effect on you.
My questions are-
1. Was Essex a role model for you as a poet? And what effect did this have on you?
2. How did meeting Essex on the train affect you?
3. Who were/are your role models? a) As a writer b) As a gay African-American.
I am giving my presentation on Tuesday 15th April which I realize is really soon but if you could get back to me before then I would really appreciate it.
Regards, Bev
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