This is honest and good stuff. Maybe many of us have an A. B. in our past. I do. Call her J. G. White man has a whispering mother, too. But this one whispering about a particular faith,maybe about a prior marriage, maybe something else. But something compelling. Made me think of Robert Penn Warren’s mother, known only through this poem.
"the old bitch is dead -- what have I said!" I loved Mom and I could not love A.B. and Home as Blackness rendered me forever in conflict with myself. Yeah, I shook inside as I typed those words of deep recognition. If we can summon up the demons long suppressed, if we can not run away from truth but type the words of Black Manhood and feel the existential angst in the moment, well, it is all about honesty. It's all about love. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrbKe4jY4oc
Why write if not to dive down deep into the caverns of our souls and meet our deepest joys and sorrows? We all have an A.B. We all have Moms. And we all have unprocessed raw honesty. Thank you for your generous comment. I ran into myself in Black Manhood. I did not look away.
More good words. I wondered how and why Penn Warren conceived those words on that train in the storm at night. Unlikely it was anything other than raw honesty. Like you, I loved my mother. That early recognition and embrace of your Black Manhood is an honest and interesting complement to your inclination not to think in terms of color. Things to ponder. Thanks for the thoughtful follow-up.
This is honest and good stuff. Maybe many of us have an A. B. in our past. I do. Call her J. G. White man has a whispering mother, too. But this one whispering about a particular faith,maybe about a prior marriage, maybe something else. But something compelling. Made me think of Robert Penn Warren’s mother, known only through this poem.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?volume=45&issue=2&page=28
"the old bitch is dead -- what have I said!" I loved Mom and I could not love A.B. and Home as Blackness rendered me forever in conflict with myself. Yeah, I shook inside as I typed those words of deep recognition. If we can summon up the demons long suppressed, if we can not run away from truth but type the words of Black Manhood and feel the existential angst in the moment, well, it is all about honesty. It's all about love. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrbKe4jY4oc
Why write if not to dive down deep into the caverns of our souls and meet our deepest joys and sorrows? We all have an A.B. We all have Moms. And we all have unprocessed raw honesty. Thank you for your generous comment. I ran into myself in Black Manhood. I did not look away.
Best,
More good words. I wondered how and why Penn Warren conceived those words on that train in the storm at night. Unlikely it was anything other than raw honesty. Like you, I loved my mother. That early recognition and embrace of your Black Manhood is an honest and interesting complement to your inclination not to think in terms of color. Things to ponder. Thanks for the thoughtful follow-up.