POET PROFILE

LUCY TERRY (PRINCE)

(1730-1821)

Lucy Terry, like a lot of our ancestors, was stolen from Africa as an infant. She overcame her traumatic start in life to become the writer of a poem that was the earliest known work of literature (poetry) by a Black woman.

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TO READ HER BIO, AND HER FAMOUS POEM, CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK, poemhunter.com , AND SEARCH HER NAME.  ** GOOGLE-SEARCH HER NAME FOR ADDITIONAL INFO ON HER LIFE AND TIMES.

POETRY CHALLENGE 2

CAN YOU HANDLE IT?
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Write a poem using LIFE WOULD BE BETTER IF                      as the first line.

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WILL MEET YOU BACK HERE ON BLACK POETS CAFE  THURSDAY, 3/13/14, TO SHARE WHAT I'VE BEEN INSPIRED TO WRITE.

TAKING THE CHALLENGE 1

THE WISH


I wish people would
Just step back
Let me be me
Let me soar
To heights
Not yet imagined
Let my fleeting thoughts
Leave all worldly things
Behind
And merge into
The peace
Of mindfulness

DOOR OF NO RETURN

Chained and shackled
Across the Atlantic they sailed
Livin' lives of transient bondage
Aboard putrid vessels en-route on
An arduous passage through the door of
No return from Alkebulan to America
Human seeds transplanted
From the shores
Of many nations ago
Livin' lives in permanent bondage
Slaves on swelterin' plantations
Devoid of culture and name
In darkness and shame
Livin' lies of freedom
And justice for all

DEM DRY BONES

Dem dry bones of
Our ancestors still lay
Buried downtown beneath
Skyscrapers in lower Manhattan
Valley of sacred burial grounds
Covered with granite
And cement and asphalt
Highways headed uptown
To God knows where

WOMAN OF A DARKER HUE

I CRY TO THINK
IT WAS 
YOU
WOMAN OF A DARKER HUE
WHO SUFFERED MOST
FROM MY LOSS
OF MANHOOD
YOU
WHOSE BODY BORE
THE PAIN OF RAPE
WHOSE SCARS
NEVER HEALED
WHOSE SCARS
REAPED THE HATRED
OF A RACE
I CRY TO THINK
IT WAS
YOU
WOMAN OF A DARKER HUE
WHO ENDURED
OUR LOSS OF MANHOOD
OUR MASCULINITY EMERGING
TOO LATE TO SPARE YOUR PAIN 
TO WIPE YOUR
TEAR-STAINED FACE

POET PROFILE

JUPITER HAMMON  (1711-1806)

Born into slavery, Jupiter Hammon started writing poetry before the United States of America even came into existence. In spite of his beginnings, he became the first Black person to be published in the U.S. and the first, in a long line of PROTEST POETS, that continue until this very day.

To read a bio of Jupiter Hammon, and sample his poetry, click on the following link poemhunter.com and search his name.