Say Brother; Maya Angelou

You good evening welcome to say brother in October the Boston Globe sponsored a book festival. One of the celebrated guests were the celebrated Maya

Angelo author of works like just give me a cool drink of water for I die. And I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and is currently now touring with her new collection of poetry. And still I rise. Let me introduce a living legend in her own time was Maya Angelou. I'd like to ask you a question that deals with your inspiration. Where do you find it. How are you inspired to do such works. I'm alive all right. And that in itself is an inspiration that people do and just sleep. When I did last night and when you did last night whose beds have become that cooling boards and whose blankets have become their winding sheets. I'm alive. That in itself is an inspiration. That breath was not promised to me.

Now one of the next one. That's an inspiration many people measure you as having great success. You measure yourself as being successful. No no. How do you view that. Well to be successful for me I would have to have written the things I wanted to write. And I've never been able to say exactly what I mean. You understand I you. I've come close a few times I've missed more times than not if I ever said it would probably be dead. I'm in process of trying to say exactly what I mean about myself and life as I see it. And I expect that every human being should be worthy of his or her hair. So I get paid a lot because I insist upon it. I don't do it why I do it for free.

I never do anything for half the price. I never do that. I insist upon being treated as well as I want to be treated and as well as I would treat anyone else who I can tender as courtesies to. So it would seem I might have the trappings of success but I insist upon a decent place to live. I work very hard and I insist upon be so that that does not constitute success. Success is always like every other virtue internal and my success. I would be successful if I ever wrote the poem or the play or the book or the essay that I know is there to be written. I just haven't been able to do that. I wonder whether or not we want to do that. Say when you get to that point you would have to be dead. What do you mean. I mean that's that's it that's the end of something. Success is the end of something. Until I mean

at all times we are in process we are species and process life is in process. It is birth maturity death and then birth out of birth and you can see it with a tomato seed you drop the seed and it grows and it has millions of tomato seeds and it dies in the seeds. You know it's interminable. Thank God for that. I wouldn't imagine that I could find a place of stopping even that success unless I was. All right this leads me to my next question. What poets have inspires you the most. Well Paul on standby inspired me more. And it continues to inspire me most. William Shakespeare inspires me a great deal. County Cullen inspired me a lot. What is it about these individuals and Edgar Allan Poe that these men in this case didn't

mention some of the women who have inspired me. Emily Dickinson with her lyricism and innocent Vincent mêlée with her wry humor. But in the case of say Mr. Dunbar and Mr. Poe they did internal rhythms incredible internal rhythms so that Mr. Dunbar in a love poem says seen my lady home last night jumped back and I just held her hand and squeezed it tight. Jim back home and John Van hepatocyte little side saw that light gleam my I saw a smile go for and I said jump back Hannah-Jones. That's incredible. Edgar Allen Poe says then up on that velvet sinking I took myself to linking fancy and defensive thinking what this ominous bird of your I mean you couldn't hear the rhythm it's incredible. And so they inspired me

particularly for their rhythm. Shakespear inspired me for his brevity to say that much to encompass in one soliloquy on one song it all the hazards of living with this human condition and really in 12 lines two lines for exposition two lines for resolution and ten lines to see it all. What every human being aspires to and fears and sometimes surrenders to. So Shakespeare inspires me for that county Cullin and Langston Hughes. I mean I could go on. Tell me just tell me about Langston Hughes I know we are well here. But Mr. Hughes is inspires me and inspired me because of his great love. He loves human beings and he loves black America.

He loved everything about his foibles our pretenses our long memory. I've known Rivers is a perfect example. He loved the blues and jazz and he loved the old black women and the old black men sometimes. So he inspires me for his great love. I could go on though. Sparrow I want you to tell me something about your mother. I know your mother has I'm sure yes. I want you to tell us about your mother. Well I believe that people live in direct relation to the heroes and she rose they had no right. And my mother is my great. She well she's just retired three four months ago from the Merchant Marine. Twenty years ago she had decided she was going to sea.

And I ask her what was she going to say. And she said that she was going to become a seaman and I ask her why and she said because they told me they wouldn't let women in their union. She said you know what I told them honey I told them you want to bet my foot in that door up to my hip and women of every color will walk over my foot get in that union get aboard a ship and go to sea. And now out of San Francisco's there are black women Asian women Chicano women and white women who ship out of San Francisco for the Pacific far east like San Francisco Honolulu Fiji Tahiti Bora Bora New Zealand Australia. There's nobody to guide us. And she's about as big as a minute. Right. Which has nothing to do. Exactly. All right. I want you to do a piece about phenomenal women like your mother in your book and still are. All right. This is for all women it really is this book

of poems should have said a book of poems and lyrics because this is part song as well. Pretty women one of my secret lives I'm cute or built to suit the fashion model size. But when I tried to tell them they think I'm telling lies I say it's in the reach of my arms. The span of my hips the stride of my step the curl of my lips. I am a woman. Phenomenally. Phenomenal Woman that's me. I walk into a room just as cool as you please and to a man the fellows stand or fall down on their knees and then they swarm around me. Hi honey bees and I say it's the fire in my eyes. The flash of my teeth. The swing of my waist. The joy in my feet. Cause I'm a warm warm phenomenally phenomenal woman that's me.

Men themselves have wondered what they see in me. They try so much but they can't touch my inner A mystery and when I try to show them they say they still can't see and I say it's in the arch of my back. The sum of my smile the ride of my breast. The grace of my style. And now you understand just why my head's not bowed at all shout or jump about or have to talk very loud when you see me walking. It ought to make you proud I say it's in the click of my heels the bend of my hair the palm of my hand the need for my care because I am a Woman Phenomenally phenomenal woman. You and me. Are going to take a break. And when we come back. We'll have questions from the audience.

We all want to be with you. And you wonder why no one knows why. What do I do. I mean you can never. Do it again. So

I'll be back. With the famous man Angela. May we have questions now. From the audience please. Go ahead. Hello my name is Dolores greatly I'm representing the Northeastern University Onix which is a black student newspaper of Northeastern University. My question to you is most writers realize they can write when an experience is so overwhelming they begin to jot down their feelings or experiences. I would like to know if this was the case with you and if so what experience made you write your first words. Thank you Miss Greenley. You share with a great writer that I know and maybe others. That name Greenly Sam Greenly poet and writer and revolutionary. In my case I'd better answer the last part first. For many years when I was quite young I was a voluntary voluntary mute. I simply could not speak couldn't form the words I couldn't get them

out into sound. And so I wrote I read a lot. I read everything in the black school because I went to school in a segregated time and place. And so I read and wrote I wrote things that weren't important were important and all of it sounded pretty much like the cat sat on the map and that was that pretty bad. I mean awful and true. But I kept writing. Now. If I see something that. Catches my spirit. Either something very very sad or. Wonderfully splendor Asli glorious I make notes either by hand written or in my mind and later I go to work on. I have no set way. I don't know what will make me write. One act play. I don't know. Whether I like what human beings do. Most some

of the things. We have a second question. Go. Ahead. My name is Verdier Brown. I'm the librarian at the African-American Institute at Northeastern University. And my question is first a little statement and then a question. During the late 60s early 60s the doors opened for many promising black writers the publishing houses open them up and were very popular at that time. I would like to know from you what do you think the trend is now for promising young authors do you in fact think that the doors to open wide or wider or whether or not it's beginning to reverse. Well thank you very much Miss Brown. I think that we are seeing a backlash in publishing. And in the reception of black American writing. Not only from. White Americans but black

Americans are not reading as much as we should. To understand where we are. Publishers are not publishing with the kind of generosity or abandon that the 60s issued in the 60s it's issued in that kind of generosity because of the force of the revolution of that time. And now as the people sit down so do the publishers. You see I think it is important to remember what Frederick Douglass said which is power has never been known to give up anything on the simple request of it. You can't say I would like more books please. I want my freedom if you please. You can do that. You must push for it. You must work for it. You must be ready to sacrifice something for it. There are many young black writers young Asian writers Chicano Spanish speaking writers and Native American writers white writers who will never be heard

who have become eccentrics in the next 20 years. Because nobody cared enough. They will be wearing paper hats on their heads and going barefoot and become big. They will become bag women. And Bag Men and junkies because the people for whom they will write don't care enough to encourage them to write. All right. My name is Charlie smiles and I'm from Boston University School of Theatre Arts. Most of the discussion today is focused on your career as a writer and I'd like you to tell us a little bit about your career as an actress and your new film sisters. Did something to my question as well as an actor. I act. Off sometimes because of the pressures on me to act. In roots. I did a scene cameo part in rudes because Alex

Haley and the two producers encouraged begged me to do it. I did it because I wanted to direct two of those segments. They wanted me because of my name. I agreed. I work very hard for this man. And if you can't be used you are useless. So I said Very good. On the other hand consider me seriously because I'm the first black female director in Hollywood and I needed those that credit. I believe they considered me seriously when they got to a place where they were pushed for time and money and had to get someone with more expertise. I believe that I don't hold a grudge. The recent few things I do. The Richard Pryor Show I wrote that segment on the Richard Pryor special. And then Richard asked if I would do it. I. Think I sing for a living I have sung for a living. But I could never be a great singer nor can I be a great actress. I can be

adequate and sometimes a little better than adequate. But never great because I don't love her. I love writing. I love it. I will surrender everything to writing. I will not do that for the theater for performing in it. Nor will I do it for singing. This song. And father actor. Male or Female Actor I'm beginning to loathe those Sufis. You know I hate actress politesse sculp Treze Jew wears negress. No no no no no it's too tiresome. I mean first off you've got too much to think about to continue to put those two words. So far the female actor or male actor. I suggest that when he or she is ready to sacrifice everything. To learn that craft. To learn it make it automatic. Then he or she has a chance to be great.

OK. OK OK. I have a question from one of our viewers. What are some of the most important things we need to do to help ourselves as black people. Well. I think really. It sounds like. Like am I this might be a contradiction of interests or just the opposite. Maybe. But. You see. No person can tell where he or she is going unless the person knows where he or she has been. OK. You see you can't begin to plan your future unless you know where you've been. You cannot. I mean right now here in this studio if you didn't remember where you came from to arrive here at this studio remember where you park your car. Just the most practical. What would you do. You'd go outside and stand around and one day.

One. That is true historically. So the most we can do is look at the documents. The documents are there. Read. Encourage our children to read because the television will show the graphics that the machine can show and only that it cannot do the prose of setting up the circumstance. It can't make you smell how sweet potato pie smells. In the south when you're hungry just at the turn of the century it can't. But a book. Can't. Well written can do it. And do it well. Another question from one of our viewers how do you perceive the climate in this country as far as third world people are concerned. Well. I think that. We are in a. Position all of us are in a wonderful position where we have a chance to come together. I think

that. Asian because of the movement of the 50s which mustn't be left out of consideration. The 50s and 60s. Women's movements were stimulated to start young people students movements were inspired to begin. Asian movements Spanish speaking peoples moved movements. Native American movements got their inspiration from the black American movement of the 50s and 60s. So I think that we're in a position now where we really can make some alliances instead of. Being victims to Machiavelli's suggestion in 14 92 which way which has become the background for all colonialism for foreign and internal policy which is separate and to divide and conquer. If we can. Get over that hurdle. Where it is so that these various

groups can come together and share thoughts and dreams and failures and aspirations we might change we might make a difference. But as long as we accept healing made differences between human beings we will always be victims isolated victims to be knocked off. One by one. OK. OK I'm going to take us. Back to your history a little bit and some of the things we're currently doing now. You are currently producing a two hour NBC movie. That's right. And you're writing it. I've written it. Repent you produced it as well. Do you think I'm an innocent man. Are you writing it as well. No I haven't read it. Can you tell us a little bit about what the name of it is. It's called sisters but that's a working title. It's going to be a two hour movie on NBC called NBC prestige theater. They are starting a new kind of programming which will be

like Playhouse 90. You know that sort of thing and my piece is the premiere piece for 4 of the year. It deals with three black women. In Durham North Carolina. All right now let's go out and they are middle class black women. Who. Are very different. Their old sister they are sisters and very different. I think that we haven't seen the black American middle class. And I use that word advisedly that phrase advisedly. One sees the sensational and the caricature. Of the black American. And so unfortunately our children. See on television or in the movies a caricature of themselves ofttimes written by someone who only sees the caricature and wants the demeaning the diminishing of the spirit of the people. And

so the children then begin to imitate the imitations of themselves. So I'm trying to look at the majority of black Americans who want exactly what every other human being wants decent employment decent housing decent education for their children a place to perpetuate their God. And a little fun. A little bit then. So that's what sisters is about. I look at that. We're looking forward to that. Thank you. When is it scheduled. Well dear spring. I hope to be. It will be in April. OK. Caged Bird. I know why the caged bird done is finished and it will be shown in October November. It's a two hour movie for CBS. Test. OK you start. I want to talk about your theater experience a little bit you started and she lays the blacks. Yes. And also you work in collaboration with God. God for

Cambridge Yeah. And one of his pieces. Yeah. What was your feeling about theater as a medium. As opposed to versus television theater as a medium and then for the artist because it gives the actor a chance to relate directly to an audience and get that feeling of acceptance that wonderful physical feeling of when you're on a stage and an audience likes you or loves you or dislikes you. You get it immediately it crawls up your skin and right under your hair. It's marvelous. It's marvelous for a writer. It's marvelous for our director. We however live in an age now where technology has taken over. It is more important I think to write for that camera. Because people who will never go to a theater not even social.

And off off Broadway won't go to see it at the local high school. Will turn on that too and sit and watch. So instead of looking down as most actors and a number of purist look down I mean only chewing gum out of the mind. They should make a difference. That's what my grandmother said. You see my grandmother is fantastic. She said if it was too cold and I why my grandmother would say make a different sister. All right. If you if it if you don't like it make a difference. Set a fire in the stove change too hot take off your clothes put a little cool towel around your face and around your neck pull off your heavy clothes go barefoot. Make a difference. So instead of whining about the quality of what television is. I would love to see the actors and writers go

to work for it and make a difference. You played the grandmother and Ruth says your sister brought out your grandmother to come to kente. Yes. What really was your complete experience with them. What did you feel about that whole weird environment. Incredible to go to Savannah Georgia. To this sad. I lived for a number of years in Egypt. And four and a half years in Ghana. And. I I couldn't believe going into Savannah Georgia on the outskirts. I was in West Africa. It looked like. It did. It really looked like it. I don't mean just the sands but there were the birds which a native also to Georgia. And the swamp the savannah the savannah. Was very much like West Africa. So that gave me a sense of deja

vu. I have seen this before. And. Dealing with that story was my story as it is your story and many of your viewers story and most of the audience is story direct. My great great great great grandfather could have been a cousin to. That. Yes. So that's true for all of us. So it's so personal. That everyone I know who worked on it did their best did more than their best outstretched them. OK. Let me ask you to do another poem for us. Would you like to hear from. Me. How about if we ask why do men. And. Women friends. When I was young. I used to watch behind the curtains as men walked up and down the street.

Why an old man. Old man. Young men sharp as mustard. Men are always going somewhere. They knew I was there 15 years old and just starving finding. Under my window they would pause their shoulders high like the breasts of a young girl jacket tails slapping over those behind. Men. One day they hold you in the palm of their hands gentle as if you were the last row in the world. Then they tighten up just a little. The first squeeze is nice a quick hug soft into your defencelessness. A little more. The hurt began wrench out a smile that slides around the fear. When the air disappears your mind pops exploding fiercely briefly like the head of a kitchen match

shattered. It is your juice that runs down there lay staining their shoe. When the earth writes itself again and taste tries to return to you the tongue your body has slammed shut forever. No keys exist. Then the window draws full upon your mind. They're. Just beyond the sway of curtains. Men while. Knowing some. GOINGS some place. But this time. You will simply stand. And watch. Me. Maybe. Maybe ladies. OK. Can we have any questions from the audience with. Questions. Well here's another one for us. Yes ma'am. Stand up. I'd like to know did you get the chance to interview for colored girls.

Yes. I'd like to know what you thought of that after hearing your poem. Well I think that. It's. An interesting piece of theater. Dramatically the way it's directed etc.. I think that the writer is in process. And. I think that she will go again to the. To the. Woodshed. And see what else is in there besides what she saw that time. So now that I see you frowning I mean that. It does not behoove me. To. Look into the future from MS and to Zach Shango.

She is in process as all writers are. And I hope that she will see more of the positive and the wonderful and the supportive and the loving and the sacrificing of black men. The next time. With that I'm going to ask you to read one more part because we have to close and that is still our eyes. Yes please. It's the title of the book. It's the title it's the theme of everything I'm about. Ms. Brown You may write me down in history with your bitter twisted lies. You may trod me in the very dirt. But still like dust. Right. Does my sasin as I've said. Why are you beset with gloom. Just cause I was like I got oil wells pumping in my living room just like movies and like songs with the certainty of Tides.

Just like hope springing high still lying around. You may cut me with your words you may shoot me with your lies you may kill me with your hatefulness. But still like air. I'll write. Does my sexiness upset you. Does it come as a surprise that I dance. Like I've got diamonds. At the meeting of my thighs. Out of the hearts of history's shame. I rise. Up from a past that's rooted in pain. I rise. I am a black ocean leaping and wild whirling and swirling I bring in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise. Into a day break that's wondrously clear. I rise. Bringing the gifts that my ancestors

gave I am the dream and the hope of the slave and I rise. And I rise. Write. I want to make sure that you get a copy and still I rise because we sell. Thank you very much. Me.

Too.

Thank you. That was this little light of mine by John work. And now

I should like to do for you. And are you from Carmen by busy. This is the aria the second day which comes in the first act of Carmen and Carmen is really a multifaceted character. I really enjoy performing this role because of the characterization that one has to portray in this aria Carmen has gotten into trouble in a cigarette factory and she her hands have been bound and she's going to be taken off to jail. Well Don josé the soldier has been told that he used to take charge until the other soldiers come back to take her off. Karma decides that she doesn't want to go to jail. And in this area she has decided she is going to entice Don josé into turning her loose as she promises him that they will meet later on at a tavern cause they get the last pasta and she will dance for him and they will drink wine together and have a wonderful time. The. From Carmen by George peasey. The.

Ones. I. Only want to be there to kiss you as you want to be kissed when you moved to be to where I want to kiss you because it's my house and I plan to live in it. I really need to hug you when I want to have you as you like to hug me. Does this sound like a silly calling. I mean it's my house and our fried pork chops and baked potatoes and call them yams because I run the kitchen and I can stand the heat. I spent all winter in carpet stores gathering patches so I can make a quick. Does this really sound like a silly point. I mean I want to keep you warm and my windows might be dirty but it's my house and if I can't see out sometimes they can see in either

English isn't a good language to communicate in. Mostly I would imagine because people try to speak English instead of trying to speak through it. I don't know maybe this is a silly point. I'm saying it's my house and I'll make fudge and call it love and touch my lips to the chocolate warm and smile at old men and call that a revolution. Cause what's real is really real. And I still like men in tight pants cause everybody has something to give. And more important needs something to take. And this is my house. And you make me happy. So this is your calling I think in the 60s. One of the things you found was that there were at the beginning of the so-called black. Culture Movement there were a number of poets who were feeding into and out of each other. And as more and more people begin to think they were God in their various names and ranks less and less people began to write poetry and I think that. I would really question there's no poetry movement of the 70s at all that anyone can speak of in

any way shape or form as a metaphor. I think that pretty much the 60s killed it off because people begin to think that one point could free the world. I think it was a very destructive effect. It was a bore First of all and they tended not to encourage other young people. I think that it's it's disgraceful that we came to the 60s and we have so few young poets available today. They just aren't there. I think first of all it's important for people to write. There is there is this tendency among black youngsters to be poets without having ever written a poem like let alone thought about getting it public. I think that you have to write if you're going to be a poet then you have to let somebody know that you do that. It is not sufficient to have 300 points at home that you've written over the last 30 years. You really sort of have to get that out. And I think that's important I think that you have to speak English that is very important because so many of our kids communicate with them. Yeah man do. Yeah. And who the hell knows what they're saying. You really have to use the language you can bend it. You can change it you

can add and subtract but you really have to have a language and that means you know basic noun verb pronoun adjective sentence you know at the end of paragraph beginning to think that you have to have some basic skills. And I think that one of the things that a lot of youngsters really took to heart probably because of laziness was that you know just being black was cool and you don't have to read anything you don't have to go anyplace you don't have to do anything. All you do is be black and talk about your life as a man. I live that. But just because you did and then you can express it that you can actually share that doesn't make a point. I mean your life does not make a novel doesn't even make a biography of gays is just not interesting. And you have to face that too everybody is not a or a writer. I don't mean to be harsh it's just that it's a fact we really do have to get down to basic skills because I do think a lot of people have latent talents but latency is just that it has to be developed and it really has to be worked on. And I think that we should be encouraging those kids to you know go to school stay in school and for Christ sake to read a lot. Well I don't want I'm not what you call successful at this point. I'm just well known and I always make a

difference between that I can from my exposure because I was a part of the 60s and that was a time of her visibility I'm probably one of the. But you know what. The idea whose time has come. Know I was I happened to be at the right place at the right time and I was probably just pretty lucky in terms of visibility. I did publish myself my first two books like feeling like talk which was one judgment I published my second book I published to a Brooklyn poet named Jackson and a book called Can I pull it with you and I published an anthology called Night Come Softly which was an anthology of black women poets. Then of course I went bankrupt. I just absolutely ran out of money because I didn't have any capitalization so I got a distribution arrangement with broadside press at that point and with William Morrow Company and they're are now publishers of mine. But I started out the same way that I'm telling you. I mean that's what I believe and it's not the easiest way. But on the other hand it's the best way because artists as a rule tend to think that somebody ought to do something for them. And I don't believe that I think that as a rule is your work. It is your responsibility to get it out. And I think a lot of young artists think well I'm missing my

manuscript into a publisher and I'm going to be a hit. And they don't realize that that's a hell of a long if I may process that you really do have to do it yourself nobody does it for you. Nobody has nobody will. Stay in the middle of the thing. This piece is very meaningful. I. Take back on the day. And. Once i. Get.

The sweet taste of sweet honey you just give it all. Yes. So she makes a big can I. Use my sweet 16. But. That. Was a something that I could not get. I. Was. Crazy. It was sweet 16. I. Guess.

That you play that for me. 24 hours a day. When. You talk most of all when. It is just. Now you know some. Swear words into my message and the men in the seats. That. Are Free. Which is. Your plan. Did you say you're.

My man. So. Why you can play all day. Playing this dance this way. Pacifically I'm called director of the office of human development in the nation of Islam and that's a very important department. As a name. No says. My RAM. The area that I am working at this time is that specifically I'm involved with writing the textbooks in the nation of Islam. Because when you talk

about a nation or when you talk about a specific school system you've got to deal with folks. You've got to do with books that combine ideology and combine a consciousness. Books that let children see themselves in a positive way. Books that also take information and make that information available information information that children can understand within the round that they're dealing in. So this is a very large job that I'm about. And hopefully it's within a couple of months we will begin to move towards production. You know for a couple of books I've already done am a reader for the nation. The children need books where they can see themselves. And I've done a book so therefore the children can actually begin to read some of the books that they need at this time. Some books where they can see themselves some books with ideology books with ideas about themselves Pozen kinds of things. The book that I. Did last year was a book called The Adventures of

his small head in squarehead which talks about three good friends who go are traveling to the city of Mecca and the ventures that they have and the problem with fathead was that he was very slow and slow at everything that he did. So therefore if Smallhead and squarehead thought they were better. And there's a mile at the end of the stirre that slow is not always fast and. Fast is not always smart. Is not always done rather fast is not always smart. I smile then because usually my twins always manage to correct me when I get to that and how that model was said. But that was the kind of story that our children really need to be involved with they need to be involved with stories and models of. And they need to be involved with stories that teach something. And we just don't need stories with children with their faces covered. You see they do need stories with some kind of message a very important message. And what I'm into now in

terms of poetry at this at this time. Is that I always write poetry I guess being a poet. I write poetry and I've always written plays I'm at work with a play it should be a along to actor. On the black woman. I suppose it's an extension of my place as the song which I did in 1968 or 69. I was in. San Francisco State. I think that it's about the black woman and I think that it will show the black woman how she has evolved in America. I hope to have that finished hopefully by the end of September. And I think since the nation is moving out in terms of cultural things now that we will try to have a performance of that place sometime in January February the nation understands that culture is the root of all consciousness as a consequence we are now trying to sustain the consciousness of a people that America being very wise has moved out very

specifically into the area of of culture and has given us all kinds of peculiar culture for our young to see. So for us to sustain ourselves and perpetuate ourselves or to perpetuate the positive kinds of things we're trying to say here in America it is necessary to deal with culture at this time. So we'll be doing a lot of colorful things in the nation and I will also be in control of that or in charge of that or helping with that at this time year and a half ago I did four books. I'm not sure what that meant. It meant a lot of work. A bit like working from 12:30 to about 4:00 o'clock in the morning. But it also meant that the work had to be done. This is a dialogue poem between a brother and a sister and brother asalam Laken sister rollock him Salaam brother and how moves my queen today. Sister my half and this Christmas the ground as I walk my king brother I have not seen you in days

and I miss your face sister. I have carried your picture in my eyes my brother brother in life one searches for his twin and you are mine sister. Since birth I have not moved. Waiting for you to sift these waves until they flake like diamonds over me. Brother I have become the sun sister. I feel your pain brother. It is hard for the sun to keep off the light and not have a moon to give it to Sister. It is hard for Moon. Without her sun brother Shalabi the sun for your darkness sister. Black man shine upon me. I am a moon for your light and christened by your sun will make night become day and the morning shall cradle all blackness. That's. A love poem which I think is positive and it's a love poem that I think that if you understand America we tend to fall in love with people for the wrong reasons you know. It's like a

physical kind of thing. We fall in love with people because they look fine. Or they have good hair and quotes right or they like or they're black or whatever and we're talking about you know falling in love with people for other kinds of reasons.