Dear Kamau,
Opal and I wanted to give you something for your birthday, so we decided to do something that we hope you will like. I have done a podcast of one of your earliest poems from the Caedemon (did I spell it right?) recordings--one of the poems that I liked from the first time I heard it, you know the one. Yes, "Francina."
And Opal has livicated a poem for your birthday. We have done this tribute because in your poems and life, you have given us an example of how a life should be lived--on its own terms. You have always written how you felt the poem could only be written, and you have taken a lot of criticism over the years for doing that. But where are the critics now? You are still creating, new vibrant poems and you are still leading the way for us.
Give thanks, Kamau.
Here is Opal's poem:
reinscribinglove is not an idealbut power to rendertruth in the presentdailydespite dismayand hopelessnessgallantry is not goinginto battle shieldedby armorrather refusing to submitor be silencedby corruptionor narrow religious zealinsistingthat the flamboyant treewill flame red in julytaking the anvil to wordshammering away like ogunbeing the voiceechoingrepetitiveperpetualyou i´ve been lovinglong before face and voicebrushed my earswill be loving youlong afterthe feel of your handshave dissipatedone lovewalk goodhappy birthday, kamau
opal palmer adisa
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First published 5/11/07
First published 5/11/07