![CvrTeachingWhileWhite_Ad[52113].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4d95401b2f610001882e44/1570141765418-SSF8FC00G2MGV7XLI1KK/CvrTeachingWhileWhite_Ad%5B52113%5D.jpg)
Two Poems Reprinted in Teaching Black Anthology
I am honored to have two of my poems reprinted in the upcoming University of Pittsburgh Press anthology Teaching Black: Pedagogy, Practice, and Perspectives on Writing edited by Ana Lara and Drea Brown.
Both of these poems— “an open letter to the school resource officer who almost shot me in my class” & “the surprising thing” — appear in my first collection, Teaching While Black.
Two Junenteeth Appropriate Poems in Awake (Lucky Jefferson)
On the first federally recognized Juneteenth, I’m honored to have two of my poems appearing in Our Power, Issue 3 of Awake by Lucky Jefferson.
“an open letter to the stupid [redacted] about to get [redacted] if they mention ‘affirmative action’ one more [redacted] time”
and
“revisionist history”
"Close Contact" -- Creative Nonfiction Published at Porcupine Literary
This school year has been broken, on fire, and drowning all at the same time.
I wrote some prose about this, and the good folks at Porcupine Literary have been kind enough to publish it.
It’s dedicated to all of my students, esp. those who survived this year.
You can read it here.
Review of Dust and Ashes at Sundress Reads
I didn’t know this review existed until my publisher tagged me on Facebook.
I read it and learned that review writing is an art form all its own. This one: a masterpiece. I am honored and humbled and embarrassed and exposed.
Good feelings all around.
You can read the review here.
You can buy your copy here.
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.
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.
If you were in the workshop or the live stream and need access to the resources/materials that I provided, hit me up.
[Say God is the tough in the prison yard] published at New York Quarterly Magazine
Another theological sonnet—[Say God is the tough in the prison yard]— is making an appearance in the world at New York Quarterly Magazine.
"when asked why they can’t sing 'the N-word' in rap songs" is live at Bending Genres
I sometimes laugh out loud when I remember where my poems come from.
This one, true to form, was a result of an actual conversation.
That said, "when asked why they can’t sing 'the N-word' in rap songs" can be read in issue #20 of Bending Genres.
"red rover, red rover..." published in Presence 2021
Another of my theological sonnets—”red rover, red rover…”—was published in the 2021 edition of Presence.
"Job 42:7-8" published in The Windhover 25.1
Once again, the good folks at The Windhover have published one of my theological sonnets.
“Job 42:7-8” takes its title from a part of the conclusion to the story of Job when YHWH addresses both us and Job’s “shit-head friend” (as I dub them in the poem) for the belief that victims have brought about their own suffering.
tl:dr Stop blaming victims!
Interview with Apparel for Authors
As Black man teaching in a wealthy, predominately white environment, I am acutely aware that my appearance reflects on not only myself, but everyone else who looks like me…
the Colored page = full length manuscript = ACCEPTED by Sundress Publications!
My first full-length collection of poetry, the Colored page, will be published by Sundress Publications as a part of their 2022 catalog!!!!!!!!!
This collection is a semi-autobiographical (or completely autobiographical) journey from first grade through, well hell, last year, for a Black student/teacher/professor/teacher/writer in a white educational system. Think parts of Teaching While Black, but on the cocaine you see in 80s movies.
More info to come…!
[Say James Baldwin was right and white Christians] published at Saint Katherine Review
I was reading Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time shortly after reading The Cross and the Lynching Tree (James Cone).
‘nuff said.
A theological sonnet published by the good folks at Saint Katherine Review
an open letter to the public school employee worried that "antiracist" is too controversial a term published at Rejection Letters
I can be really petty a times. Which make me appreciate this poem on multiple levels.
Yes. I said it.
I love one of my own poems.
Thanks to Rejection Letters for taking a chance on me once again, and putting "an open letter to the public school employee worried that 'antiracist' is too controversial a term" out into the world. I hope the world gets it.
As always, I hope the appropriate people are offended.
"a teachable moment" published by The Daily Drunk Mag
For everyone else:
I love being a teacher.
I pretend to be a professional one.
That said, my poem "a teachable moment" has been published by The Daily Drunk Mag.
For one person in particular:
Dear_____________,
I wrote this poem with you in mind.
You’re a menace to society and I am proud to have you in my life.
Love,
MEH
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.
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.)
Reading and Interview with Chewing the Gristle
In this episode of Chewing the Gristle, poets Al Black and Tim Conroy chat with the Bostonian teacher, poet, and editor, Matthew E. Henry. Listening to Matthew’s poetry, I wondered where this poet got his bravery. Did it fester in youth silently until it exploded with prophetic courage reacting to the pretense of equality in a country that still privileges white lives over black lives? Matthew's poems are as spiritual as baptism down by a river, as bloodletting as Macbeth, and as authentic as a burial. His poems from Teaching While Black and Dust and Ashes wield images and sounds that wake us with undeniable truth and pain. Matthew expressed himself as a young creative soul during primary school and high school by writing short stories. Though he teased that perhaps he wrote better as an elementary school poet than now…
Gotta love that picture...
On shaving my beard…
I'm still working on a poem about this (of course I am), but these tweets will have to do for now.
