Presenting and Reading at The Five Ponds Creative Writing Festival

I will be presenting at workshop at the Five Ponds Creative Writing Festival.

Translating Trauma

Writers often sift through personal and global pain using it as inspiration for composition. This can be done as a means of processing and coping with trauma, as well as a means of making connections with others. But are there stories we should keep to ourselves? Are we sometimes telling stories that are not ours to tell? When is writing an unhealthy act of reliving trauma instead of remembering it in a creative, healing context? Through the lens of poetry, this workshop—part craft lecture, part unlicensed therapy session—will consider these questions, and provide participants with tools to construct personal guidelines to best care for themselves and others during the writing process.

It will be live and livestreamed. The whole festival is free. More details here.

Reading with Sundress Publications at SMOL Fair 2022

Sundress Publications authors, myself included, will be reading at SMOL Fair on March 19, 2022 from 7-8:30 PM EST.

Attendance is 100% free.

For more information on SMOL Fair, please visit: https://www.smolfair.com/.

"Award Winning Poet Matthew E. Henry Reads for Gordon College"

"Award Winning Poet Matthew E. Henry Reads for Gordon College"

Last fall, three-time Pushcart nominated poet Matthew E. Henry performed a poetry reading in the Barrington Cinema as a part of the Princemere Writers Series. Led by English Professor Mark Stevick, the Series invites renowned and emerging writers to Gordon College to share their art and engage with Creative Writing students. Henry also visited with Stevick’s Literary Journal class to discuss writing, editing, publishing, and teaching…[Click for full article]

Newton Free Library Celebrating Voices of Color Poetry Reading

Here is the full video.

I’m the final reader (beginning at 26:16)

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The write up in The Heights about the event, in which I am quoted.

Two poems in Wizards in Space

I'm pleased to have two poems in Issue 7 of Wizards in Space.

A love poem, “on parables” (originally published in Autofocus),

and

a school poem “when asked why I don't volunteer.”

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Featured Reader at Rozzie Reads 11/18/21

On Thursday (11/18) at 7pm, I will be one of two featured readers at Rozzie Reads Poetry put on by the good people at the Friends of Roslindale Branch Library.

Unless something changes, I will be reading a set of “love” poems, and yes “love” is in quotes for a reason. There will be selections from Teaching While Black and Dust & Ashes, along with some new and unpublished poems. These might include poems of unrequited love which might be about you. Who knows?

This is a Zoom reading that begins at 7 pm.

Here are the details:

Rozzie Reads Poetry on Zoom

When: Thu Nov 18, 2021 6:30pm – 9:30pm Eastern Time - New York

Where: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81699465628?pwd=TE5yV2NCd29iSlM1TGtQOVQyMHMwQT09

Meeting ID: 816 9946 5628
Passcode: 582069
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Marvelous Verses Reading

Glad my poem on Nightcrawler is included in this anthology and this reading.

Here is the reading.

The whole thing is amazing, but I close out the show, starting at time 1:08:36

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"an open letter for back to school night" at Second Chance Lit

Due to the pandemic, I was unable to read this poem to a variety of classrooms packed with parents feigning attention. In part, this is why I am still gainfully employed.

Biological Creatures found my poem "an open letter for back to school night" worthy to be included in their inaugural issue. But then they went under. Thankfully, the good folks at Second Chance Lit gave it new life You can read it here.

And as always, if you see yourself within its lines, you get no apologies from me (esp. if you’re a parent of one of my kids).

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Addendum

What it might have looked like if I had actually read this at back to school night in the middle of a pandemic…

A Virtual Reading for Main Street Rag

I did a short virtual reading from Teaching While Black. for Main Street Rag Publishing Company.

New York Quarterly Reading Series: 7/19/2021

The Zoom link to the reading on July 19, 2021 at 7:30 ET:

https://zoom.us/j/99893491089?pwd=WXd6czN3WU04UURtbm1lY2FlTjJEdz09

Teaching Anti-Racist Poetry Workshop at Mass Poetry Festival 2021

Today I lead a workshop on Teaching Anti-Racist Poetry as part of the Massachusetts Poetry Festival!

I think it went when and I didn’t bring (much) shame to the family.

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If you’re looking for a similar workshop with your students, your department, your school, your writing group (etc.) hit me up.

Here is the description of what we did today:

In this workshop, participants will explore anti-racist pedagogy through poetry. After defining terms, the time will be spent reading poetry from a variety of sources (mostly living BIPOC authors) and participating in analysis and discussion activities geared towards high school language arts classrooms. This workshop targets high school language arts teachers looking for ways to engage their classroom communities with honesty, vulnerability, and bravery. Participants will leave with a governing philosophy (“if not my class, then where?”), a classroom-ready packet of poems, and instructional ideas.

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If you were in the workshop or the live stream and need access to the resources/materials that I provided, hit me up.

Reading & Interview with Mitch Nobis an Wednesday Night Sessions

I was pleased to sit down with fellow teacher-poet Mitch Nobis at Wednesday Night Sessions to read and discuss selections from Teaching While Black, and other school-related poems.

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The set list:

• stop talking

• etymology

• when asked why “all lives” don’t matter

• an open letter to the white girls caught chanting “NIGGER” on Snapchat, again

• an open letter to those wondering why I’ve called this the most racist place I’ve ever worked

• re: your aryan princess in my class
  
  

(Also, my former beard was having a good hair day.)

Interview with Lesley University on Race, Education, and Poetry

“If Dr. Matthew E. Henry’s debut poetry collection, “Teaching While Black,” had been published five years ago, it would still have been relevant, it’s just that fewer people would have realized it.

In a country reckoning with centuries of systematic and internalized racism, Henry’s forthright verse is an important entry into the conversation…”

So begins my interview with the good folks at Lesley University, which is where I earned my PhD.

The title is also very telling:

“Dr. Matthew E. Henry’s unapologetic poetry addresses racism in the classroom: Teaching While Black chronicles 18 years of ‘come to Jesus’ conversations.”

Read the rest here.

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The interview also includes a reading of my poem “when asked why ‘all lives’ don’t matter.”

Interview with Doug Holder (Poet to Poet)

[Click image for video]

My virtual sit-down with Doug Holder of Poet to Poet.

We talk about both teaching while Black (in reality), as well as Teaching While Black (my book). I also read a short selection of poems from the collection at the end.

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In this version, we get to see one of my former students (from over a decade ago) popping in and out of his car. : )

June 6, 2020 ~ Doug Holder interviews Matthew E. Henry author of Teaching While Black.

Virtual Reading for Poets in Pajamas

I did a thing. I don’t think I brought shame upon the family name, but I won’t ever watch this to find out, so you’ll have to let me know.

Or don’t.

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The Set List

• "when asked why “all lives” don’t matter" [First published in The Radical Teacher, No. 115 (Fall 2019)]
  

• "an open letter to the school resource officer who almost shot me in my class" [First published in Gravitas, Volume 18 Issue 2]
  

• "a confession from occupied territory" [First published in Teaching While Black (Main Street Rag, 2020)]
  

• "stop talking" [First Published in Rise Up Review Summer 2019]
  

• "when asked how we got here" [Unpublished. Rage-written a few days ago.]
  

• "station of the cross" [First published in 3Elements Literary Review Issue 20]
  

• "the surprising thing" [First published in The Radical Teacher Vol 112 (2018)]
  

• "to the Dreams that Explode" [First published in Teaching While Black (Main Street Rag, 2020)]
  

• "an open letter to my mixed little "Sisters Who Kept Their Naturals"" [First published in Solstice, Spring 2020]

Poets in Pajamas Reading on Facebook Live - May 10th

I’ve been selected to participate in Poets in Pajamas reading series on Facebook Live!

On Sunday, May 10th I will be reading selections from Teaching While Black, answering questions, and trying not to bring shame upon my family.

We’ll see what happens.

Here’s the event page link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1162329310765604/

Virtual Reading of "said the band-aid to the shotgun wound"

This virtual reading of "said the band-aid to the shotgun wound" is brought you by the good people at Raven Chronicles and the anthology Take a Stand: Art Against Hate where this poem was published.

I should also thank the "professional development" that was so horrible, it inspired this poem.

But I won't.