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As we approach Mother’s Day, whether you are celebrating with your mother or paying tribute to her memory, we hit our recall button of the delightful flavors and aromas that came wafting from the oven as we patiently waited for what they were baking. Old school moms had a way of makin’ it, shakin’ it, and bakin’ it, without even using a recipe card. A pinch of this and a sprinkle of that, and Wahla! Oh my goodness, once that baking delight hits your tongue, you feel like you’ve been teleported to another planet.
You are invited to pay tribute in the comment section to your mother, grandmother, or anyone else who has been a mother figure to you and could whip up a pastry, pie, cake, or other mouthwatering baked delight without breaking a sweat. In my podcast, I give a nod to my mother Henrietta, with my poem “Mom’s Deep Dish Pear Pie Symphony” because she could throw down with a deep dish pear pie that would make you lose your mind. Thank you for listening!
Students of Poetry Theater, from Johnson C. Smith University (L to R) Kevin Harris, Robert Adams, Eliana Moultrie, Asanti Mack, Scottie Artis, Tim Newman, Amelia Smith, Cameron Kromah, Cameron Johnson, Jayden Petrus, Ladaija Hawkins(click on image for a closeup)
Wednesday, April 26, 2023, set the stage for a production of epic poetic proportions during the final celebratory days of National Poetry Month and National Library Week. The event was held at the James B. Duke Memorial Library on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina.
It was an honor and delight to listen to these beautiful students take my poem “We Are Poetry” and spin it into a recitation that was electric and intellectually stimulating. I was so excited as I watched these amazing students, under the direction of their professor, Dr. Rhunette Diggs, make the words of my poem come alive in a way I never imagined. I became emotional as the emphasis each student placed on every word in this poem transformed into pure magic. That, my friends, is what I call melt-in-your-mouth Poetry Theater.
“Poets are actors on a theatrical stage starring in a cast of words.”-Kym Gordon Moore (From the book, We Are Poetry: Lessons I Didn’t Learn in a Textbook)
Students also coordinated their attire by wearing black or a combination of black and white to symbolize strength, unity, diversity, and inclusivity. In the image above, they are holding black and white “We Are Poetry” fans as a declaration of solidarity to symbolize a poetic voice to the voiceless, during this historical and momentous occasion.
“We Are Poetry” Game Day Giveaways
JCSU James B. Duke Memorial LibraryPoetry Theater performed by JCSU Public Speaking classBeautiful thank you letter from Dr. Rhunette Diggs, JCSU Professor of Communication
While this presentation focused on my poem, “We Are Poetry,” from my book, We Are Poetry: Lessons I Didn’t Learn in a Textbook, this collaboration did not focus on me but on “we.” These students oratorical delivery captured the essence and purpose of what this poem, moment, and book reflect.
George Moses Horton was the only person to publish a book while living in slavery. George was born into slavery about 1797 on William Horton’s tobacco plantation in Northampton County in North Carolina. Slaves, identified as chattel, were often given the surnames of their enslavers.
I recently finished reading the book, The Hope of Liberty & The Life of George Moses Horton, known as The Colored Bard of North Carolina. When I finished reading Mr. Horton’s collection of poetry and poetical pieces, I stepped into the historical vernacular of a man who turned what looked like hopelessness into an amazing opportunity for hope.
When Horton was about 17 in 1815, he became the property of William Horton’s son, James. He plowed the farm with a horse-drawn plow and was often sent to Chapel Hill to sell produce. The collegians were fond of pranking the country servants. Somehow, despite their pranks, they discovered a spark of genius with George. When he began to speak of poetry, many were at first incredulous, but the experiment of acrostics he composed at the handle of the plough and memorized since he was unable to write, he composed these love pieces in verse for the belles of these courtiers from all parts.
A historical marker was erected on Highway 15-501 near Mt. Gilead Church Road, in Pittsboro, North Carolina. In the halls of Chatham Historical Museum is a plaque dedicated to and in honor of George Moses Horton. Check out this latest episode of Poetry, Pastries, & Pies, featuring George Moses Horton, The Colored Bard of North Carolina.
It’s time to pull out the bells and whistles as we kick off the 27th annual celebration of National Poetry Month. We celebrate this occasion throughout the month of April, which commemorates the integral role poets and poetry have in our culture. Today, on Poetry, Pastries & Pies, I salute Ada Limón, who was appointed the United States Poet Laureate in 2022.
To all of my wordsmiths and versifiers, I’m wishing you a FANtabulous National Poetry Month. For my international poetry posse, may the power of the pen fill you with the excitement of poetic pleasing words.
I had the pleasure of talking to Angela Simpson, a phenomenal woman who wears many hats as General Manager, baker, and along with her husband Ryan, owner of a warm and inviting bakery, called Cake Affect, located in North Carolina. It was such a delight to sit down with Angela and talk about turning their passion for baking into a viable business dedicated to both her mother and Ryan’s mother.
Cake Affect is dedicated to using the finest ingredients to make their mouthwatering pies, cakes, and other sweet treats irresistibly delicious. I love their tagline “We don’t do it all but we put our all in what we do!” To find out more about the products and services Cake Affect offers, check out their website, http://www.cakeaffect.com. So, without further adieu, thank you for joining me on this decadent episode of Poetry, Pastries, & Pies – The Triple P Connection.
If your tongue doesn’t know what to expect
and your taste buds feel a bit of neglect
hit them with the magic of a special effect
when they dance with sweet treats from Cake Affect.
What is it like to watch mouths move as conversations abound with emotion that only facial expressions and hand gestures can reveal? Can we still speak when we cannot hear or utter a word? Of course, we can. Communication is universal regardless of what language you speak or what form of engagement you use.
National Deaf History Month runs annually from March 13 to April 15. Although National Deaf History Month is not a federally recognized holiday, it’s a time to raise awareness about the deaf community and their challenges within our society. This commemoration is not to be confused with Deaf Awareness Month, which is observed during the month of September. Today’s podcast from Poetry, Pastries, & Pies defines a language that reiterates we are poetry. (Image credit: cottonbro studio)
The color dark blue was chosen by the World Federation of the Deaf and Deaf associations around the world to represent their Deaf community. Do you know someone who is Deaf or hard of hearing? Did you also know that there is a difference between Deaf and deaf? Deaf using a capital D refers to people who have been deaf all their lives, or since before they started to learn to talk. Lowercase ‘d’ used in ‘deaf’ generally describes individuals with severe to profound hearing loss, and with little or no residual hearing.
Let’s not take our sense of hearing for granted. Deaf, but not dumb. Thank you so much for listening.
Hello everyone! Oh, what an exciting day it is. I am pleased to announce the launch of my new podcast, “Poetry, Pastries, & Pies.” Join me for the trifecta effect of these Triple P elements that will tantalize your tastebuds poetically. ✍🏼🥐🥧 Feel free to follow me on Spotify or Anchor. It’s FREE!!! Here’s a taste of my inaugural episode.
From Behind the Pen 